Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Self-control

Abstract

A procedure was developed to assist a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who had difficulty getting ready for class. A two-stage intervention is described. In the first stage a cognitive behavior modification program was attempted. When this proved to be unsuccessful, an alternative approach was attempted in which a reward of access to extra computer time was made contingent on getting ready for class after lunch within a five-minute time period. As soon as the intervention was introduced it was immediately successful and the child never failed to meet the criterion. Once the procedure was established, it was extended to the beginning of school in the morning, and the reward schedule was changed so that it was necessary to meet the five-minute criterion in both the morning and afternoon on three successive days in order to obtain extra computer time. Again, the criterion was met without failure. Several weeks after the intervention was initiated, the child began spontaneously to request the timing device while working on in-class written assignments as a way of aiding assignment completion. This latter result suggested that the introduction of the timing device may have assisted the child in monitoring his behavior, and in spontaneously generalizing the use of the timer across situations.