At the class level , behavioural therapy ( alone or in combination with stimulants ) , stimulants , and non-stimulant seemed significantly more efficacious than placebo .
Behavioural therapy in combination with stimulants seemed superior to stimulants or non-stimulants .
Stimulants seemed superior to behavioural therapy , cognitive training and non-stimulants .
Behavioural therapy , stimulants and their combination showed the best profile of acceptability .
Stimulants and non-stimulants seemed well tolerated .
Among medications , methylpheni date , amphetamine , atomoxetine , guanfacine and clonidine seemed significantly more efficacious than placebo .
Methylpheni date and amphetamine seemed more efficacious than atomoxetine and guanfacine .
Methylpheni date and clonidine seemed better accepted than placebo and atomoxetine .
Most of the efficacious pharmacological treatments were associated with harms ( anorexia , weight loss and insomnia ) , but an increased risk of serious adverse events was not observed .
There is lack of evidence for cognitive training , neurofeedback , antidepressants , antipsychotics , dietary therapy , fatty acids , and other complementary and alternative medicine .
Clinical differences may exist between the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment used for the management of ADHD .
BACKGROUND Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders in childhood .
A wide variety of treatments have been used for the management of ADHD .
We aim ed to compare the efficacy and safety of pharmacological , psychological and complementary and alternative medicine interventions for the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents .
A 14-month randomized clinical trial of treatment strategies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The MTA Cooperative Group. Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD.
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated the short-term efficacy of pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , but no longer-term ( i.e. , > 4 months ) investigations have compared these 2 treatments or their combination . METHODS A group of 579 children with ADHD Combined Type , aged 7 to 9.9 years , were assigned to 14 months of medication management ( titration followed by monthly visits ) ; intensive behavioral treatment ( parent , school , and child components , with therapist involvement gradually reduced over time ) ; the two combined ; or st and ard community care ( treatments by community providers ) . Outcomes were assessed in multiple domains before and during treatment and at treatment end point ( with the combined treatment and medication management groups continuing medication at all assessment points ) . Data were analyzed through intent-to-treat r and om-effects regression procedures . RESULTS All 4 groups showed sizable reductions in symptoms over time , with significant differences among them in degrees of change . For most ADHD symptoms , children in the combined treatment and medication management groups showed significantly greater improvement than those given intensive behavioral treatment and community care . Combined and medication management treatments did not differ significantly on any direct comparisons , but in several instances ( oppositional/aggressive symptoms , internalizing symptoms , teacher-rated social skills , parent-child relations , and reading achievement )  combined treatment proved superior to intensive behavioral treatment and /or community care while medication management did not . Study medication strategies were superior to community care treatments , despite the fact that two thirds of community-treated subjects received medication during the study period . CONCLUSIONS For ADHD symptoms , our carefully crafted medication management was superior to behavioral treatment and to routine community care that included medication . Our combined treatment did not yield significantly greater benefits than medication management for core ADHD symptoms , but may have provided modest advantages for non-ADHD symptom and positive functioning outcomes
At the class level , behavioural therapy ( alone or in combination with stimulants ) , stimulants , and non-stimulant seemed significantly more efficacious than placebo .
Behavioural therapy in combination with stimulants seemed superior to stimulants or non-stimulants .
Stimulants seemed superior to behavioural therapy , cognitive training and non-stimulants .
Behavioural therapy , stimulants and their combination showed the best profile of acceptability .
Stimulants and non-stimulants seemed well tolerated .
Among medications , methylpheni date , amphetamine , atomoxetine , guanfacine and clonidine seemed significantly more efficacious than placebo .
Methylpheni date and amphetamine seemed more efficacious than atomoxetine and guanfacine .
Methylpheni date and clonidine seemed better accepted than placebo and atomoxetine .
Most of the efficacious pharmacological treatments were associated with harms ( anorexia , weight loss and insomnia ) , but an increased risk of serious adverse events was not observed .
There is lack of evidence for cognitive training , neurofeedback , antidepressants , antipsychotics , dietary therapy , fatty acids , and other complementary and alternative medicine .
Clinical differences may exist between the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment used for the management of ADHD .
BACKGROUND Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders in childhood .
A wide variety of treatments have been used for the management of ADHD .
We aim ed to compare the efficacy and safety of pharmacological , psychological and complementary and alternative medicine interventions for the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents .