Parenting and family stress treatment outcomes in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An empirical analysis in the MTA study

Parenting and family stress treatment outcomes in the MTA study were examin ed. Male and female (579), 7-9-year-old children with combined type Attenti on Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), were recruited at six sites aroun d the United States and Canada, and randomly assigned to one of four groups : intensive, multi-faceted behavior therapy program alone (Beh); carefully titrated and monitored medication management strategy alone (MedMgt); a wel l-integrated combination of the two (Comb); or a community comparison group (CC). Treatment occurred over 14 months, and assessments were taken at bas eline, 3, 9, and 14 months. Parenting behavior and family stress were asses sed using parent-report and child-report inventories. Results showed that B eh alone, MedMgt alone, and Comb produced significantly greater decreases i n a parent-rated measure of negative parenting, Negative/ineffective Discip line, than did standard community treatment. The three MTA treatments did n ot differ significantly from each other on this domain. No differences were noted among the four groups on positive parenting or on family stress vari ables. Results are discussed in terms of the theoretical and empirically do cumented importance of negative parenting in the symptoms, comorbidities an d long-term outcomes of ADHD.