Intervention for Teens With ADHD and Substance Use
Condition: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Intervention: Brief Early Intervention; Parent Training with Adolescent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Methylphenidate
Intervention description: Adolescents receive 5 individual sessions designed to strengthen the following skills: problem-solving, resisting peer pressure, and coping with emotions. Parents join portions of 3 sessions.; Participants receive 12 family sessions with individual adolescent, parent, and joint adolescent and parent time. Includes additional parent training in behavioral modification, adolescent and parent contracting, and adolescent decision-making skills.; Adolescents will receive methylphenidate.
Intervention MeSH terms: Methylphenidate
Phase: Phase 3
Study type: Interventional
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Enrollment: 158.0
Sex: All
Minimum age: 12 Years
Maximum age: 16 Years
Healthy volunteers: No

Summary:

      Individuals with ADHD are at markedly high risk for increased substance use and Substance Use
      Disorder (SUD). Given the strong evidence for the negative trajectory of individuals with
      co-occurring ADHD and substance use initiation, the goal of this study is to conduct a
      controlled examination of a brief, early intervention (BEI) for substance modified for
      adolescents with ADHD. Importantly, this intervention will address individuals who are at
      risk for problems with substance use, but do not yet meet criteria for severe SUD.

      Although brief interventions have been found to be effective in other populations, their
      efficacy in an ADHD population with emerging risk for substance use problems remains
      uninvestigated. This study aims to understand why some adolescents with ADHD and elevated
      risk for SUD respond to (BEI) and others do not. The investigators will test whether
      situational and individual characteristics predict substance use development and response to
      treatment. Further, this study will assess which types of additional treatment are most
      effective for youth who do not respond to the initial BEI. It is hypothesized that rates of
      adolescent substance use will be lower among adolescents who participate in study treatments.
    

Eligibility criteria:

        Inclusion Criteria:

          -  Diagnosis of ADHD

          -  At elevated risk for substance use problems as evidenced by at least one general risk
             factor (e.g., elevated symptoms of ODD or CD, elevated conflict with parents, low
             parental monitoring, or academic failure) and at least one substance use specific risk
             factor (e.g., non-normative use of alcohol or other drugs, use of cigarettes or
             e-cigarettes, parental substance use problems, family history of substance use
             problems, peer or sibling substance use).

        Exclusion Criteria:

          -  IQ < 80

          -  Current substance use disorder meeting DSM-IV criteria for the severe qualifier

          -  Psychotropic medications for ADHD or any other condition

          -  Active medical conditions that could be worsened by stimulants unless approved for
             participation by the treating physician

          -  Diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and/or other psychotic disorder

          -  Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with a severity level of 2 or 3 or
             significant intellectual or language impairment