Academic Skills Groups for Middle School Children With ADHD in the Outpatient Mental Health Setting: An Open Trial

Abstract

Objective: To conduct an open trial assessing the initial efficacy of an intervention focusing on increasing skills related to academic performance (planning, organization, studying, and homework behaviors) for middle school children diagnosed with ADHD. The intervention is modeled on evidence-based interventions but designed for administration in the outpatient setting. Method: Parents and their children diagnosed with ADHD attended seven weekly group sessions targeting academic, organizational, and homework skills. Parents completed the Homework Problem Checklist and Impairment Rating Scale pre- and post-treatment. Results: Following intervention, significant improvements in homework completion and management, as well as reductions in academic impairment and improvements in parent confidence and family relations, were reported. Conclusion: Despite limitations including small sample size and lack of a control group, our results demonstrate initial efficacy of an academic skills intervention designed for use in the outpatient setting with middle school children diagnosed with ADHD on clinically relevant outcome measures.