EFFECTS OF PSYCHOSTIMULANT MEDICATION ON SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF COMPETENCE, CONTROL, AND MOOD IN CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITYDISORDER

Examined speculation that stimulant medication may serve to undermine self-efficacy and engender external or unknown explanations of control and dysphoria in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disord er (ADHD). More specifically, as part of a larger double blind, placeb o trial of the effectiveness of the psychostimulants and various adjun ctive treatments for ADHD, we assessed the effects of methylphenidate on self-perceptions of competence, control, and dysphoria in 48 childr en with ADHD. In contrast to placebo, although methylphenidate resulte d in significantly greater amelioration of a number of the core featur es of ADHD, we found no evidence of a decrease in perceived competence or an increase in external or unknown explanations of control or dysp horia at posttest 14 weeks later.