1 Multimodality Treatment of ADHD: Initial Findings of the MTA Study

In the mid-1990’s, the Multimodality Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA) was designed (see Arnold et al, 1997) as multi-site randomized clinical trial comparing 4 treatment strategies: medication management (MedMgt), behavior modification (Beh), the combination of these two modalities (Comb), and an active control condition based on usual treatment available in the community (CC). A large sample of 579 ADHD children between the ages of 7 and 9 years were identified (see Hinshaw et al, 1997with confiremd symptoms of Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (i.e., with DSM-IV diagnoses of ADHD-Combined Type). Intensive treatment was provided over a period of 14 months. Data reduction methods on baseline assessments identified 19 key outcome variables to cover the theoretically important combinations of 3 sources (parent, teacher, and child) and 6 domains (ADHD symptoms, ODD-aggression symptoms, internalizing symptoms, social skills, parent-child relations, and academic achievement). The primary analyses revealed a statistically significant omnibus (overall) effect of Treatment for 10 of these marker variables. The general pattern of effects on the manifestation of symptoms of ADHD and ODD were clear