Six boys aged 9 to 12 years attended a tutoring class focusing on reading for 30 minutes each morning. The investigators employed a modified Latin-square design in which each child began with a 5-day baseline phase followed by six 10-day treatment phases that used drug placebo, noncontingent reinforcers, 0.3 mg/kg methylphenidate, 0.7 mg/kg methylphenidate, and self-re-inforcement in various combinations. Amount of academic performance was the major measure of outcome and the target behavior of self-reinforcement. Drug placebo and noncontingent reinforcers had no systematic impact. Methylphenidate had differential effects across the recorded behaviors. Self-reinforcement improved the target behavior; the mean effect size for self-reinforcement was 2.66. The combined effects of methylphenidate and self-reinforcement on academic performance were greater than either of the treatments given alone (mean effect size = 2.89).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Abikoff, H. (1985). Efficacy of cognitive training interventions in hyperactive children: Acritical review. Clinical Psychology Review, 5, 479-512.
2.
American Psychiatric Association . (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed. rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Anderson, E. E. , Clement, P. W., & Oettinger, L., Jr. (1981). Methylphenidate compared with behavioral self-control in attention deficit disorder: Preliminary report. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 2, 137-141.
4.
Bandura, A. (1976). Self-reinforcement: Theoretical and methodological considerations. Behaviorism, 4, 135-155.
5.
Barkley, R. A. (1981). Hyperactive children: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York: Guilford.
6.
Barkley, R. A. (1990). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York: Guilford.
7.
Boning, R. A. (1979). Multiple skills series. Baldwin, NY: Barnell, Loft, Lowell, & Linwood.
8.
Bowers, D. S. , Clement, P. W., Fantuzzo, J. W., & Sorensen, D. A. (1985). Effects of teacher-administered and self-administered reinforcers on learning disabled children. Behavior Therapy, 16, 357-369.
9.
Brown, R. T. , Slimmer, L. W., & Wynne, M. R. (1984). How much stimulant medication is appropriate for hyperactive school children. Journal of School Health, 54(3), 128-130.
10.
Brown, R. T. , Wynne, M. E., & Medenis, R. (1985). Methylphenidate and cognitive therapy: A comparison of treatment approaches with hyperactive boys. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 13, 69-87.
11.
Carlson, C. L. , Pelham, W. E., Milich, R., & Dixon, J. (1992). Single and combined effects of methylphenidate and behavior therapy on the classroom performance of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal ofAbnormal Child Psychology, 20, 213-232.
12.
Catania, A. C. (1975). The myth of self-reinforcement. Behaviorism, 3, 192-199.
13.
Chase, S. N. , & Clement, P. W. (1985). Effects of self-reinforcement and stimulants on academic performance in children with attention deficit disorder. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 14, 323-333.
14.
Clement, P. W. (1973). Training children to be their own behavior therapists. Journal of School Health, 43, 615-620.
15.
Clement, P. W. (1976). A formula for computing inter-observer agreement. Psychological Reports, 39, 257-258.
16.
Clement, P. W. (1986, May). Simplified methods for determining treatment effects with intensive designs. Paper presented at the Meeting of the Westem Psychological Association, Seattle, WA.
17.
Clement, P. W. , Anderson, E. E., Arnold, J. H., Butman, R. E., Fantuzzo, J. W., & Low, B. P. (1982). Self-observation and self-reinforcement by socially deviant children. Behavioral Counseling Quarterly, 2, 168-182.
18.
Conners, C. K. (1969). A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with hyperactive children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 126(6), 152-156.
19.
Cunningham, C. E. (1993). Increasing the availability and accessibility of services for ADHD children. The ADHD Report, 1(5), 4-5.
20.
Dulcan, M. K. (1985). The psychopharmacologic treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit disorder. Psychiatric Annals, 15(2), 69-86.
21.
Edgar, R. , & Clement, P. W. (1980). Teacher-controlled and self-controlled reinforcement with under-achieving Black children. Child Behavior Therapy, 2(4), 33-56.
22.
Fantuzzo, J. W. , & Polite, K. (1990). School-based, behavioral self-management: Areview and analysis. School Psychology Quarterly, 5, 180-198.
23.
Fantuzzo, J. W. , Polite, K., Cook, D. M., & Quinn, G. (1988). An evaluation of the effectiveness of teacher-vs. student-management classroom interventions. Psychology in the Schools, 25, 154-163.
24.
Gadow, K. D. (1983). Effects of stimulant drugs on academic performance in hyperactive and learning disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16, 290-299.
25.
Gittelman, R. (1984). Experimental and clinical studies of stimulant use in hyperactive children and children with other behavior disorders. In I. Creese (Ed.), Stimulants: Neurochemical, behavioral and clinical perspectives (pp. 205-225). New York: Raven.
26.
Gittelman, R. , Klein, D. F., & Feingold, I. (1983). Children with reading disorders-II. Effects of methylphenidate in combination with reading remediation. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 24, 193-212.
27.
Gittelman, R. , Mannuzza, S., Shenker, R., & Bonagura, N. (1985). Hyperactive boys almost grown up: I. Psychiatric status. Archives of General Psychiatry, 42, 937-947.
28.
Goldiamond, I. (1976). Self-reinforcement. Journal of Applied BehaviorAnalysis, 9, 509-514.
29.
Hinshaw, S. P. , Henker, B., & Whalen, C. K. (1984). Cognitive-behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for hyperactive boys: Comparative and combined effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 739-749.
30.
Horn, W. F. , Chatoor, I., & Conners, C. K. (1983). Additive effects of Dexedrine and self-control training: A multiple assessment. Behavior Modification, 7, 383-402.
31.
Horn, W. F. , Ialongo, N. S., Pascoe, J. M., Greenberg, G., Packard, T., Lopez, M., Wagner, A., & Puttler, M. S. (1991). Additive effects of psychostimulants, parent training, and self-control therapy with ADHD children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 233-240.
32.
Ialongo, N. S. , Horn, W. F., Pascoe, J. M., Greenberg, G., Packard, T., Lopez, M., Wagner, A., & Puttler, M. S. (1993). The effects of a multimodal intervention with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder children: A 9-month follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32, 182-189.
33.
Kavale, K. (1982). The efficacy of stimulant drug treatment for hyperactivity: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 15, 280-289.
34.
Mahoney, M. (1976). Terminal terminology: A self-regulated response to Goldiamond. Journal of Applied BehaviorAnalysis, 9, 515-517.
35.
Meichenbaum, D. , & Goodman, J. (1971). Training impulsive children to talk to themselves: A means of developing self-control. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 77, 115-126.
36.
O'Leary, S. G. , & Dubey, D. R. (1979). Applications of self-control procedures by children: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 449-465.
37.
Pelham, W. E. (1983). The effects of psychostimulants on academic achievement in hyperactive and learning-disabled children. Thalamus, 3, 1-47.
38.
Pelham, W. E., Jr. (1985). The effects of psychostimulant drugs on learning and academic achievement in children with attention-deficit disorders and learning disabilities. In J. K. Torgesen & B. Wong (Eds.), Psychological and educational perspectives on learning disabilities (pp. 259-295). New York: Academic.
39.
Pelham, W. E., & Bender, M. E. (1984). Behavioral assessment of psychoactive drug effects on a child's learning and behavior in an inpatient psychiatric setting. Unpublished manuscript, Florida State University, Department of Psychology, Tallahassee.
40.
Pelham, W. E. , Bender, M. E., Caddell, J., Booth, S., & Moorer, S. H. (1985). Methylphenidate and children with attention deficit disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 42, 948-952.
41.
Pelham, W. E., Jr. , & Murphy, H. A. (1986). Attentiondeficitandconduct disorders. In M. Hersen (Ed.), Pharmacological and behavioral treatments: An integrative approach (pp. 109-148). New York: Wiley.
42.
Rapport, M. D. , Murphy, H. A., & Bailey, J. S. (1982). Ritalin vs. response cost in the control of hyperactive children: Awithin-subject comparison. Journal ofApplied BehaviorAnalysis, 15, 205-216.
43.
Rapport, M. D. , Stoner, G., DuPaul, G. J., Birmingham, B. K., & Tucker, S. (1985). Methyl-phenidate in hyperactive children: Differential effects of dose on academic, learning, and social behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 13, 227-244.
44.
Rosenbaum, M. S. , & Drabman, R. S. (1979). Self-control training in the classroom: A review and critique. Journal of Applied BehaviorAnalysis, 12, 467-485.
45.
Smith, M. L. , Glass, G. V., & Miller, T. I. (1980). The benefits ofpsychotherapy. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
46.
Stephens, R. , Pelham, W. E., & Skinner, R. (1984). The state-dependent and main effects of pemoline and methylphenidate on paired-associate learning and spelling in hyperactive children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 104-113.
47.
Thoresen, C. E. , & Wilbur, C. S. (1976). Some encouraging thoughts about self-reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 9, 518-520.
48.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.
49.
Wolraich, M. , Drummond, T., Salomon, M. K., O'Brien, M. L., & Savage, C. (1978). Effects of methylphenidate alone and in combination with behavior modification procedures on the behavior and academic performance of hyperactive children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 149-161.
