The applicant is requesting five years of funding through the Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) program to enhance methodological skills for intervention research on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The ultimate goal is to have the expertise to study the effects of collaborative behavioral care as an intervention researcher. The applicant's strong background of research and clinical training in pediatrics, epidemiology, and health services research provides an excellent foundation for this work. The proposed training goals, including skills in advanced biostatistical methods, skills in health measurement, and skills in health care interventions will allow the applicant to pursue methodologically sound, technically feasible, and innovative approaches to intervention research involving this population. The research plan for this award is separated into 3 studies, which complement the proposed training activities. In the first study, an analysis of data from the Child Behavior Study will be undertaken to identify determinants of collaborative behavioral care among primary care and mental health providers. In the second study, a measure of collaborative behavioral care will be adapted from an existing instrument, and its psychometric properties will be examined using a mail-in survey approach. In the third study, a multifaceted collaborative care intervention for children with ADHD will be developed and piloted in an urban predominately African-American clinical setting.
