Faculty Collaboration Database

The importance of therapeutic processes in school-based psychosocial treatment of homework problems in adolescents with ADHD. J Consult Clin Psychol 2018 May;86(5):427-438

Date

04/24/2018

Pubmed ID

29683700

DOI

10.1037/ccp0000300

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85045855935 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   6 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance of therapeutic processes in two brief school-based psychosocial treatments targeting homework problems in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as delivered by school mental health professionals.

METHOD: A sample of 222 middle school students (72% male; M_age = 12.00 years, SD = 1.02) diagnosed with ADHD was randomized to receive either a contingency-management or a skills-based treatment for homework problems. Both treatments included 16 individual sessions (20-min each) and 2 parent/family meetings. Adolescents and school mental health professionals reported on the working alliance in the middle of the treatment; professionals rated adolescent involvement at each of the 16 sessions, parent involvement during both parent meetings, and parent commitment to carry out the established homework plan. Attendance at parent meetings was also recorded.

RESULTS: Therapeutic processes predicted objective, parent-reported, and teacher-reported academic outcomes. Parent engagement was particularly important for the contingency-based treatment, whereas working alliance and adolescent involvement were most important for the skills-based treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic processes such as developing a strong working alliance and engaging parents and students are key elements of treatment delivery and receipt in school-based mental health programming and should be explicitly trained and monitored. (PsycINFO Database Record

Author List

Breaux RP, Langberg JM, McLeod BD, Molitor SJ, Smith ZR, Bourchtein E, Green CD

Author

Stephen Molitor PhD Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Behavior Therapy
Child
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Health
Parents
Psychotherapeutic Processes
School Health Services
Schools
Students