Classroom-based Distance Intervention for Teachers of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

NCT ID: NCT01547702

Last Updated: 2014-03-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 116 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-02-29
• Study Completion Date: 2013-05-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate, by way of randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of a web-based, time-flexible, and teacher-directed "Teacher Help for ADHD" program in reducing the impact of ADHD symptoms in elementary students.

Detailed Description

*Please note that the information below is taken verbatim from our project's research summary.*

Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most well-researched areas in childhood psychopathology. ADHD is a highly prevalent (5% of school-aged children) and chronic disorder (ADHD will persist into adulthood for ~70% of children diagnosed with this disorder). ADHD has a substantial impact on daily life including difficulties with behavioural, academic, social and emotional functioning (DuPaul & Weyandt, 2006).

Although medication is the most commonly used treatment, there are a number of important limitations including poor long-term effects, lack of effectiveness in improving academic skills, and lack of acceptability by parents and children (DuPaul, 2007). Therefore, a number of psychosocial interventions have been developed and empirically validated (parent training, social skills training, school-based interventions). School-based interventions have been shown to be effective; however, these are significantly underutilized and when implemented in an uncontrolled way, are often ineffective. This intervention program is comprised of evidence-based treatment strategies that are presented in a manner that will provide teachers with knowledge of the disorder and intervention strategies. The novel delivery of this program, through distance treatment modalities (e-mail and internet) will allow us to overcome many of the known barriers to treatment so that teachers will receive the necessary information in a timely and efficient manner. The specific research questions that will be addressed are:

1. Does the overall impairment of children with ADHD in the treatment group improve compared to those who are in the waitlist group?

2. Is the school-based intervention effective in reducing ADHD symptoms, improving behavioral functioning, and enhancing academic performance in the active treatment group compared to the waitlist group?

3. Do teachers in the treatment group develop more knowledge about ADHD and more positive and realistic attitudes about this disorder over the course of the intervention?

4. Is the intervention viewed as accessible to teachers and is there evidence of fidelity to the program?

The investigators expect that the program will reduce overall impairment, improve ADHD symptoms, behavioural, and academic functioning in the children and will enhance knowledge and reduce misconceptions of ADHD in teachers. If successful, this program will be disseminated to school boards in Nova Scotia and across Canada, and as such would have the potential to have a significant positive effect on the health and well-being of many children, teachers and parents.

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Treatment

This group will have access to the Teacher Help for ADHD intervention program during the randomized controlled trial.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Teacher Help for ADHD

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Teachers will review powerpoints other materials online and will have access to a study coach to assist with their understanding and practical application of the materials. Session descriptions follow:

• Session 1: Provide information about ADHD characteristics, impact, diagnosis, etiology
• Session 2: Help establish teacher's role; goal setting; introduce behaviour planning
• Session 3: Help develop and implement behaviour program specific to the needs of students with Session 2 goals
• Session 4: Help develop strategies re: classroom structure, work assignments, teacher-student relationship
• Session 5: Help to use instructional interventions for ADHD
• Session 6: Help to teach these students self-monitoring and self-evaluation skills; help teachers to evaluate progress, phase out behaviour program, and plan for relapses in unwanted behaviours

Waitlist Control

This group will not receive the intervention until all data collection is complete for their study cohort.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Teacher Help for ADHD

Teachers will review powerpoints other materials online and will have access to a study coach to assist with their understanding and practical application of the materials. Session descriptions follow:

• Session 1: Provide information about ADHD characteristics, impact, diagnosis, etiology
• Session 2: Help establish teacher's role; goal setting; introduce behaviour planning
• Session 3: Help develop and implement behaviour program specific to the needs of students with Session 2 goals
• Session 4: Help develop strategies re: classroom structure, work assignments, teacher-student relationship
• Session 5: Help to use instructional interventions for ADHD
• Session 6: Help to teach these students self-monitoring and self-evaluation skills; help teachers to evaluate progress, phase out behaviour program, and plan for relapses in unwanted behaviours

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Student is in grades 1 to 6 in the public school English stream
• Student has been formally diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder having a diagnosis of ADHD
• Student is either on a stable dose of medication or no medication with no plan to start/change medication in the next 5 months

Exclusion Criteria

• Student has a significant other mental health issue (e.g., depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, psychotic features, and severe conduct problems)
• Student is on an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) due to significant physical, behavioural, communication, or learning difficulties.
• Teacher participated in the Teacher Help for ADHD pilot study (conducted by Brittany Barnett, Master of Health Informatics Student under the supervision of Dr. Elik and Dr. Corkum, Dalhousie University)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 6 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Dalhousie University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Penny V Corkum, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Dalhousie University

Nezihe Elik, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The Hospital for Sick Children

Locations

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

NSHRF-44576

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id