Organizational Skills Training for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Condition: Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
MeSH terms: Hyperkinesis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study will evaluate the effectiveness of organizational skills training in improving
      organizational, time management, and planning difficulties in children with attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder.
    

Detailed description: 
      Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders
      among children. Children with ADHD frequently lack organizational, time management, and
      planning skills. These deficits can cause impaired functioning in multiple settings,
      including home, school, and peer relationships. Advancements in treatment options for these
      deficits, however, have been minimal. Previous research has indicated that organizational
      skills training (OST) is an effective intervention for improving organizational skills in
      children with ADHD. Its effectiveness relative to other available treatments is unknown. This
      study will compare the effectiveness of OST with that of contingency management (CM) and a
      waitlist condition in improving organizational, time management, and planning skills deficits
      in children with ADHD.

      Participants in this study are randomly assigned to OST, CM, or Wait-List (WL). Participants
      in the OST and CM groups attend 20 1-hour sessions over 10 weeks. OST trains children to use
      a variety of techniques for improving their organizational skills. Both children and their
      parents attend every OST session. CM does not involve skills training. Rather, CM trains
      parents and teachers to identify desired "end" behaviors and to increase the frequency of
      these behaviors through the use of a structured reward system. Both children and their
      parents attend every CM session, but the children's participation will be minimal.
      Participants assigned to the waitlist condition will have the opportunity to receive their
      choice of either OST or CM once they have completed the study. All participants attend
      follow-up visits 1 month post-treatment. Participants assigned to OST and CM attend follow-up
      visits after 1 and 4 months into their next school grade. School performance, feelings about
      school, ADHD symptoms, organizational skills, family environment, medication or services
      received, and use of treatment strategies will be assessed at each follow-up visit.
    

Intervention name(s): Organizational Skills Training; Contingency management (CM)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants in the OST group attend twenty 1-hour sessions over 10 weeks. OST trains children to use a variety of techniques for improving their organizational skills. Both children and their parents attend every OST session.; Participants in the CM group will attend twenty 1-hour sessions over 10 weeks. CM trains parents and teachers to identify desired "end" behaviors and to increase the frequency of these behaviors through the use of a structured reward system. Both children and their parents attend every CM session, but the children's participation will be minimal.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: ADHD; Organizational Skills; Contingency Management