ADHD is a common and chronic psychiatric disturbance that severely disrupts normal development and is associated with long-term unfavorable outcomes. Currently, there are no evidence-based tools available to the public to guide communication regarding potential benefits and harms of ADHD treatment options and the value families place on each. Moreover, there have been no systematic efforts to elucidate family preferences for involvement in decision making or to create explicit mechanisms to ensure the level of participation that is desired. A decision aid will facilitate informed, collaborative decision making between parents and practitioners and promote partnerships where all stakeholders pursue common goals and share confidence in the chosen treatment/research plan. This project proposes the development ofInternet-based software that can be accessed by parents, teachers, and pediatricians, which would 1) educate parents via a user friendly, interactive decision aid that provides facts about ADHD, information about treatment options, and the possible outcomes of those options;2) educate physicians about ADHD assessment and treatment;3) allow web-based acquisition of rating scales from parents and teachers and provide web-based access reports to pediatricians;and 4) allow remote consultation with physicians about ADHD-related issues.
