None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylpheni date efficacy .
Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements ; qualitative changes limited to math .
Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD .
Previous review s on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement .
Recent literature suggests outcome -domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy .
The aims of this study are quantifying methylpheni date effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math , reading , spelling ; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements , demographic- , design - and disorder-related variables .
Differential Effects of Stimulant Medication on Reading Performance of Boys With Hyperactivity With and Without Conduct Disorder
Controversy surrounding stimulant medication , particularly its effects on reading performance , continues to obscure the issue of the use of this drug in classroom situations . The present study emphasized careful differential diagnosis , double-blind and placebo approaches , and curriculum-based dependent measures to address these concerns . Methylpheni date was administered to two groups of boys , ages 8 through 11 . The two groups included 27 subjects meeting criteria for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder but not conduct disorder , known as hyperactive disorder ( HD ) , and 28 subjects meeting criteria for both diagnostic categories , known as hyperactive-aggressive ( HA ) . Only four subjects in each group met a discrepancy criterion for learning disabilities ( LD ) . Methylpheni date was administered to both groups at three levels of dosage , along with baseline and placebo conditions . Dependent measures involved both reading recognition and reading comprehension , equivalent across all conditions . No significant results were found for the group with HD in either reading recognition or comprehension , due largely to unusual placebo reactions . Results were generally in the direction predicted for the group with HA , but only significantly so in reading comprehension , and no dose effect was found on this variable . Implication s for reading as a dependent measure of medication effects are discussed
None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylpheni date efficacy .
Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements ; qualitative changes limited to math .
Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD .
Previous review s on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement .
Recent literature suggests outcome -domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy .
The aims of this study are quantifying methylpheni date effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math , reading , spelling ; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements , demographic- , design - and disorder-related variables .