The efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of hospitalized children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The literature is replete with ambiguity and controversy regarding the treatment of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Cognitive behavioral interventions have been enlisted as a viable treatment strategy for this behavioral syndrome. The efficacy of the Kendall and Braswell training program for the acquisition of self control in four hospitalized ADHD children was assessed by a series or repeated measures. The acquisition of self control was defined as increasingly lower scores on the Hyperactivity Indexed on the Conners Teacher Rating Scale and the Hyperactivity, Aggression and Delinquent Scores on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Also, the children would demonstrate increased latency and lower error scores on the Matching Familiar Figures Test. Behavioral observation ratings collected for 30 days would show a positive trend in acceleration over time in on task, compliance, frustration tolerance and prosocial skills as a result of the intervention. The results of the Kendall Tau trend analysis did not provide evidence regarding the utility of the intervention as an effective therapy to reduce the behavioral manifestations of ADHD. The behavioral data provided testimony to the extreme variability in behavior for these ADHD children. It may be that one would look to obtain consistency in behavior through such an intervention rather than expect marked decrease in behavioral symptomatology