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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]
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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

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