Perceptions of acceptability and effectiveness of interventions for ADHD: A comparison of teachers and school psychologists

This study compared school psychologists’ and teachers’ perceptions of classroom interventions for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants read vignettes of a student with ADHD. They then read descriptions of the Daily Report Card and Response Cost Techniques, two proposed interventions to help the student. They then rated the interventions using the Behavioral Intervention Rating Scale (BIRS; Elliot & Von Brock Treuting, 1991). Differences were observed between which intervention was rated as more acceptable and effective. School psychologists rated the Daily Report Card as less acceptable than teachers did. They also rated the Daily Report Card as less acceptable and effective than school teachers and themselves rated the Response Cost Techniques. Overall, there was widespread support for Response Cost Techniques. Implications of these results are discussed