Clinical Round Table 1 - Guides to Advanced Treatment of ADHD in Children and Adolescents: Empirically Supported Treatments in a Youth Lifespan Treatment Approach

Functional impairments in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) occur when core symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity hinder family, school, social, and emotional functioning. Treatments with proven or promising efficacy have positively altered the course of ADHD through skills building methods and learning principles. Well-tested and newly emerging treatments for reducing the impact of ADHD on the home, school, social, and emotional lives will be reviewed in a clinical round table. The leaders of teams that have developed and tested interventions will present the foundations of their treatments. Dr. Nissley-Tsiopinis will present on GetReady a group intervention for caregivers of newly diagnosed children, engaging them as care partners to enhance empowerment and intent to initiate evidence-based treatments. Parental Friendship Coaching, by Dr. Mikami, guides parents to coach elementary school children’s social behaviors during planned playdates. Dr. Pfiffner’s Child Life and Attention Skills and Collaborative Life Skills programs improve ADHD symptoms and family, social, and organizational skills of elementary-school children across ADHD presentations. Organizational Skills Training, created by Dr. Gallagher and colleagues, contributes to significant improvements in organization, time management, and planning which in turn advance school performance and reduce family conflict in elementary school children. For adolescents, RELAX, by Dr. Breaux works with families to enhance emotion regulation and reduce interpersonal conflict through psychoeducation, constructive parent-child discussion, and guidance on managing actions during emotional arousal. Each panel member will provide the purpose of the treatment program, briefly describe the results of controlled studies, and present an example of one treatment session in detail. The panel will propose and discuss the potential for creating an individualized sequence of treatments for this chronic condition. As a result, while engaging in long-term treatment and follow-up, a clinician can implement a course of treatment that covers a large portion of the child’s life to address behavioral, family, social, school, and emotional functioning.