School Involvement in Pharmacotherapy for Behavior Disorders

Abstract

Hyperactivity is one of the most common reasons for chronic drug therapy in exceptional children. Clinicians have long recognized that behavioral evaluations from the teacher are essential in diagnosing this disorder, titrating dosage, and monitoring and terminating treatment. In order to evaluate the adequacy of typical treatment practices, 2 state-wide studies of special education programs were conducted. Teachers completed questionnaires for 232 pupils in their current classroom who were receiving medication for a learning or behavior disorder, and the mothers of 100 of these children participated in a telephone interview. The findings from both studies were remarkably similar. Teachers were often not involved in referral, diagnosis, or the withdrawal of medication. The allegation that school personnel frequently pressure parents into medication for their child was unsupported. Although 60% of the teachers reported drug effects, standardized evaluation instruments were rarely used. Direct communication with the physician was all but nonexistent. There appears to be a considerable disparity between the treatment procedures recommended in the medical literature as being necessary for adequate care and typical practices in everyday situations.