behavioral, cognitive, and social functioning of those with ADHD. The efficacy of findings remains a topic of debate, demonstrating concern over the incrdases in diagnoshs, rates of drug prescriptions, and use of medication as the only method of treatment. Literature findings showed that ADHD treatments included pharmacological, behavioral, cognitive behavioral, parental, educational, and multimodal interventions.
Purdie,áet al.á(2002) stated that medication was the most commonly reported method of dealing with ADHD children. Positive effects of drugs were limited and medication does not cure the disorder. Target behaviors that were helped with drugs included on-task classroom behavior, disruptive social behavior, and negative peer interaction. There was no evidence related to long-term gains. Behavioral interventions included contingency management, response cost, and other behavioral management approaches, all using principles of reinforcement and punishment to reduce problem behaviors and increase wanted behaviors. Off-task behaviors were the most common targets that improved with these interventions but these did not guarantee improvements in academic performances. Findings showed that these children tended to need more behavioral management than teachers can provide in the classroom. Cognitive behavioral treatments such as self-talk, self-instruction, self-monitoring, and self-reinforcement have been used to try and gain control of impulse behavior problems. There is little evidence to support the positive effects of these interventions.
Purdie,áet al.á(2002) also reported on parental and educational interventions. Parent training helps parents to develop skills to manage behaviors in the ADHD child. Findings relative to this technique showed that parent-training leads to increased child compliance and improved parenting skills. It is unclear whether positive effects generalize to families with dysfuncti...