Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T18:50:58.009Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Need for Effective Early Behavioural Family Interventions for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Judith Sheridan
Affiliation:
Behaviour Research and Therapy Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Queensland
Matthew R Sanders*
Affiliation:
Behaviour Research and Therapy Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Queensland
*
Parenting and Family Support Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072 Australia, Phone: (07) 3365 7309, Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

There is a pressing need for the development of effective early family intervention programs for children showing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) behaviours with Conduct Disorder (CD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) behaviours. Previous research has indicated that children with ADHD are at high risk of developing comorbid CD or ODD behaviours. In addition, it has been shown that ODD or CD behaviours in childhood tend to persist and to have adverse effects on later social adjustment. However, ODD or CD behaviours are not necessary concomitants of ADHD, and it has been demonstrated that behavioural intervention can have both short- and long-term beneficial effects for children showing early signs of ODD or CD behaviours. In the short term, behavioural family interventions may be able to reduce oppositional behaviour, particularly in the preschool years. In the long term, early intervention has been shown to reduce the incidence of later antisocial behaviour in children at risk for this developmental trajectory. In this paper, it will be argued that behavioural family interventions have not been effectively utilised or promulgated in the community for children with ADHD despite the demonstrated efficacy of these types of interventons. A model of a multilevel system of intervention that can be tailored to the individual family's needs is presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abramowitz, A.J., Eckstrand, D., O’Leary, S.G., & Dulcan, M.K. (1992). ADHD children’s responses to stimulant medication and two intensities of behavioral intervention. Behaviour Modification, 16, 193203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anderson, J.C., Williams, S., McGee, R., & Silva, P.A. (1987). The prevalence of DSM III disorders in preadolescent children: Prevalence in a large scale sample from the general population. Archives of General Psychiatry, 44, 6976.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Barkley, R.A. (1987). Defiant children: A clinician’s manual for parent training. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Barkley, R.A. (1990). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Barkley, R.A., Anastopoulos, A.D., Guevremont, D.C., & Fletcher, K.E. (1991). Adolescents with ADHD: Patterns of behavioural adjustment, academic functioning, and treatment utilization. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 752761.Google ScholarPubMed
Biederman, J., Newcom, J., & Sprich, S. (1991). Comorbidity of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with conduct disorder, anxiety, and other disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 564577.Google ScholarPubMed
Blackman, J.A., Westervelt, V.D., Stevenson, R., & Welch, A. (1991). Management of preschool children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivty Disorder. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 11, 91104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burns, G.L., & Patterson, D.R. (1990). Conduct problem behaviors in a stratified random sample of children and adolescents: New standardization data on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2, 391397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, M., & Cueva, J.E. (1995). Psychopharmacology in child and adolescent psychiatry: A review of the past seven years. Part I. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 11241132.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cantwell, D.P., & Baker, I. (1991). Association between Attention Deficit Hyperactivty Disorder and Learning Disorders. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 24, 8895.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caron, C., & Rutter, M. (1991). Comorbidity in child psychopathology: Concepts, issues, and research strategies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32,10631080.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cohen, P., Cohen, J., & Brook, J. (1993). An epidemiological study of disorders in late childhood and adolecence-II. Persistence of disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34, 869877.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dadds, M.R., Schwartz, S., & Sanders, M.R. (1987). Marital discord and treatment outcome in the treatment of child conduct disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 396403.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Danforth, J.S., Barkley, R.A., & Stokes, T.F. (1991). Observations of parent-child interactions with hyperactive children: Research and clinical implications. Child Psychology Review, 11, 703727.Google Scholar
Fergusson, D.M., & Horwood, L.J. (1993). The structure, stability, and correlations of trait components of conduct disorder, attention deficit, and anxiety/withdrawal reports. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34, 149166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fergusson, D.M., Horwood, L.J., & Lynsky, M. (1993). The effects of conduct disorder and attention deficit in middle childhood on offending and scholastic ability at age 13. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34, 899916.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fergusson, D.M., Horwood, L.J., & Lynsky, M. (1994). The childhoods of multiple problem adolescents: A 15 year longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 11231140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Forehand, R., Rogers, T., McMahon, RJ., Wells, KC., & Griest, D.L. (1981). Teaching parents to modify child behavior problems: An examination of some follow-up data. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 6, 313322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoza, B., Pelham, W.E., Sams, S.E., & Carlson, C. (1992). An examination of the dosage effects of both behaviour therapy and methylphenidate on the classroom performance of two ADHD children. Behaviour Modification, 16, 164192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kazdin, A.E. (1995). Child, parent, and family dysfunction as predictors of outcome in cognitive behaioral treatment of antisocial children. Behavior Research and Therapy, 33, 271281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koot, H.M., & Verhulst, F.C. (1992). Prediction of children’s referral to mental health and special education services from earlier adjustment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 717729.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lahey, B.B., & Carlson, C.L. (1991). Validity of the diagnostic category of Attention Deficit Disorder without Hyperactivity: A review of the literature. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 24 (2), 110120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lie, N. (1992). Follow-ups of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, Supple 368, 85, 440.Google ScholarPubMed
Mannuzza, S., Gittleman Klein, R., & Addalli, K.A. (1991). Young adult mental status of hyperactive boys and their brothers: A prospective follow-up study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 743751.Google Scholar
McFarland, M., & Sanders, M.R. (1993, November). A comparison of behavioral and cognitive behavioral family intervention with maternally depressed families of disruptive children. Paper presented at the 27th annual convention of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Atlanta, Georgia.Google Scholar
McGee, R., Partridge, F., Williams, S., & Silva, P.A. (1991). A twelve-year follow-up of preschool hyperactive children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 224232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McMahon, R.J., & Wells, K.C. (1989). Treatment of childhood disorders. In Mash, E.J. & Barkley, R.A.. (Eds.), Treatment of childhood disorders (pp. 73132). New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Moffitt, T.E., & Silva, P.A. (1988). Self-reported delinquency, neuropsychological deficit, and history of Attention Deficit Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16, 553569.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Novaco, R.W. (1975). Anger control: The development and evaluation of an experimental treatment. London: Lexington.Google Scholar
Palfrey, J.S., Levine, M.D., Walker, R.G., & Sullivan, M. (1985). The emergence of attention deficits in early childhood: A prospective study. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 6, 339348.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parker, H.C. (1988). The ADD hyperactivity workbook for parents, teachers, and kids. Plantation, Fl: Impact Publications.Google Scholar
Patterson, G.R. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.Google Scholar
Patterson, G.R. (1986). Performance models for antisocial boys. American Psychologist, 41, 432444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patterson, G.R., DeBaryshe, B.D., & Ramsey, E. (1989). A developmental perspective on antisocial behavior. American Psychologist, 44, 329335.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pisterman, S., Firestone, P., McGrath, P., Goodman, J.T., Webster, I., Mallory, R., & Goffin, B. (1992). The role of parent training in treatment of preschoolers with ADDH. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 62, 397408.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Physicians Desk Reference. (1991). Oradell, NJ: Medical Economics.Google Scholar
Rapport, M. (1992). Treating children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Behaviour Modification, 16, 155163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robins, L.N., & Price, R.K. (1991). Adult disorders predicted by child conduct problems: Results from NIMH epideniological catchment area project. Psychiatry, 54, 116132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanders, M.R. (1992). Enhancing the impact of behavioural family intervention with children: Emerging perspectives. Behavior Change, 9, 115119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanders, M.R., & Dadds, M.R. (1993). Behavioral family intervention. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar
Sanders, M.R., Connell, S., & Markie-Dadds, C. (1994, November). Triple P goes bush: An evaluation of a self-directed program for parents of oppositional preschoolers in a rural setting. Paper presented at a meeting on Social Learning and Family, San Diego, California.Google Scholar
]Sanders, M.R. & Markie-Dadds, C. (1994, November). Triple P (Positive Parenting of Preschoolers) program: A controlled evaluation of an early intervention program for children with disruptive behaviour problems. Symposium #34 conducted at the 28th convention of the Annual Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy, San Diego, California.Google Scholar
Schachar, R. (1991). Childhood hyperactivity. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 155192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Szatmari, P., Offord, D.R., & Boyle, M.H. (1989). Ontario child health study: Prevalence of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 219230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tremblay, R.E., Masse, B., Perron, D., Leblanc, M., Schwatzman, A.E., & Ledingham, J.E. (1992). Early disruptive behavior, poor school achievement, delinquent behavior, and delinquent personality: Longitudinal analyses. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 6472.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tremblay, R.E., Pagani-Kurtz, L., Masse, L.C., Vitaro, F., & Pihl, R.O. (1995). A bimodal preventive intervention for disruptive kindergarten boys: Its impact through mid-adolescence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 560568.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Verhulst, F.C., & van der Ende, J. (1993). “Comorbidity” in an epidemiological sample: A longitudinal perspective. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34, 767783.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webster-Stratton, C. (1993). Strategies for helping early school aged children with oppositional defiant and conduct disorders: The importance of home school partnerships. School Psychology Review, 22, 437457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whalen, C.K., & Henker, B. (1991). Therapies for hyperactive children: Comparisons, combinations, and compromises. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 126137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed