Our previous grant (MH#51583) found that serious degrees of interpersonal conflict within families posed significant problems for the majority of families of ADHD teens, and markedly more so in ADHD teens with co-morbid oppositional - defiant disorder (ODD). Our initial grant also examined the effectiveness of three family-based treatments for these conflicts. At the group level, all treatments produced equal and significant reductions in conflicts with only minor differences among them. At the individual level, however, up to 80% of the families showed no clinical significant or reliable changes due to treatment. Clearly, the potency of psychosocial treatments for families of ADHD/ODD teens requires enhancement. Several factors were identified that could focus such efforts. These are: 10 including fathers in therapy with the adolescent; 2) increasing the number of therapy sessions; 3) combining promising therapy approaches; and 4) evaluating the separate role played by fathers in family conflicts. We therefore propose a 3 year renewal of our grant to conduct an additional study of parent-teen conflict and its treatment in ADHD/ODD teens. The study will involve 90 teens with ADHD and ODD randomly assigned to either problem-solving communication training (PSCT) alone or to PSCT combined with parent behavior management training (BMT). All subjects will receive 18 sessions of therapy but will be re-evaluated half-way through therapy to evaluate treatment effects as a function of dose of treatment (9 vs 18 sessions). Father involvement in therapy will be strongly and systematically encouraged. The therapies, therefore, will be enhanced by addressing all of the above noted factors (dosage, treatment combination, father involvement). Rating scales, therapist ratings, and direct observations of mother-teen and father-teen interactions will be used to assess treatment process and outcome effects. Potential predictors of treatment outcome will again be examined.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01MH041583-04A3
Application #
2245218
Study Section
Child Psychopathology and Treatment Review Committee (CPT)
Project Start
1987-01-01
Project End
1997-08-31
Budget Start
1994-09-30
Budget End
1995-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
660735098
City
Worcester
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
01655
Barkley, R A; Edwards, G; Laneri, M et al. (2001) The efficacy of problem-solving communication training alone, behavior management training alone, and their combination for parent-adolescent conflict in teenagers with ADHD and ODD. J Consult Clin Psychol 69:926-41
Edwards, G; Barkley, R A; Laneri, M et al. (2001) Parent-adolescent conflict in teenagers with ADHD and ODD. J Abnorm Child Psychol 29:557-72
Barkley, R A; Edwards, G; Laneri, M et al. (2001) Executive functioning, temporal discounting, and sense of time in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). J Abnorm Child Psychol 29:541-56
Barkley, R A (1997) Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull 121:65-94
Barkley, R A (1997) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-regulation, and time: toward a more comprehensive theory. J Dev Behav Pediatr 18:271-9
Barkley, R A; Koplowitz, S; Anderson, T et al. (1997) Sense of time in children with ADHD: effects of duration, distraction, and stimulant medication. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 3:359-69
Barkley, R A; Guevremont, D C; Anastopoulos, A D et al. (1992) A comparison of three family therapy programs for treating family conflicts in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol 60:450-62
Barkley, R A; Anastopoulos, A D; Guevremont, D C et al. (1992) Adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: mother-adolescent interactions, family beliefs and conflicts, and maternal psychopathology. J Abnorm Child Psychol 20:263-88
Barkley, R A (1991) The ecological validity of laboratory and analogue assessment methods of ADHD symptoms. J Abnorm Child Psychol 19:149-78