Rebecca K. Vujnovic

Comparison of the Bender Gestalt-II and VMI-V in Samples of Typical Children and Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

The visual-motor skills of 60 children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs) and 46 typically developing children were assessed using the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test— Second Edition (BG-II) and Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Fifth Edition (VMI-V). Within-group comparisons yielded substantive mean differences between the BG-II Copy score and VMI-V composite,Visual Perception and Motor Coordination sections of the VMI-V, and Copy and Recall sections of the BG-II, in both samples. Between-groups differences were assessed in a subsample of 27 participants from each group matched on age, gender, ethnicity, and parent education. After statistically controlling for IQ, the HFASD group scored significantly lower than the typically developing group on the two scores from each test with greater motor involvement. Intratest and intertest correlations were similar across the two samples. Correlations between the BG-II Copy score and VMI-V composite were .55 for the HFASD and .48 for the typically developing sample.

Efficacy of a family-focused intervention for young drivers with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE Teenage drivers diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at significant risk for negative driving outcomes related to morbidity and mortality. However, there are few viable psychosocial treatments for teens with ADHD and none focus on the key functional area of driving. The Supporting the Effective Entry to the Roadway (STEER) program was evaluated in a clinical trial to investigate whether it improved family functioning as a proximal outcome and driving behavior as a distal outcome. METHOD One hundred seventy-two teenagers with ADHD, combined type, were randomly assigned to STEER or a driver education driver practice program (DEDP). RESULTS Relative to parents in the DEDP condition, parents in STEER were observed to be less negative at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up but not at 12-month follow-up, and there were no significant differences for observed positive parenting. Relative to teens in the DEDP condition, teens in STEER reported lower levels of risky driving behaviors at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up, but not at 12-month follow-up. Groups did not differ on objective observations of risky driving or citations/accidents. CONCLUSIONS The STEER program for novice drivers with ADHD was effective in reducing observations of negative parenting behavior and teen self-reports of risky driving relative to DEDP; groups did not significantly differ on observations of positive parenting or driving behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record

Preliminary Psychometric Properties of an Observation System to Assess Teachers' Use of Effective Behavior Support Strategies in Preschool Classrooms

Challenging behaviors are one of the most common concerns of early educators, and preschool teachers continue to report feeling unprepared to meet the needs of children displaying challenging behaviors. Overall, traditional standardized classroom assessments have evaluated global classroom quality, but they may not capture the reciprocal and recursive nature of interactions present in preschool classrooms in a manner that can be easily quantified. The current investigation presents initial psychometric information for the Student Behavior Teacher Response (SBTR) observation scheme, a measure that captures instances of challenging behavior and the teacher’s response to the behavior. In a sample of 88 Head Start teachers, the observation system exhibited preliminary evidence of inter-rater score agreement and reliability, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Implications for educators and early childhood assessments are discussed.

Parameters of Adherence to a Yearlong Daily Report Card Intervention for Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Given that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic disorder, which is likely to require sustained treatment, investigations of the adherence to long-term treatments are clearly needed. The current project is the first analysis examining the parameters of adherence to a daily report card (DRC) intervention over the course of an academic school year. To gain a greater understanding of the complexities inherent in long-term treatment implementation, parameters of adherence with respect to specific, setting-related criteria (i.e., month of the school year, day of the week, and consultant contact) were examined. Participants were 33 children enrolled in first through sixth grade. All participants were diagnosed with ADHD (85% were diagnosed with comorbid oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder), received special education services, and were assigned to an intervention condition wherein behavioral consultants worked with the teacher and parent to construct and implement a DRC intervention. Overall, results provide preliminary support for the utility of the DRC as a sustainable intervention for the duration of an entire school year. Although rates of adherence were relatively stable, a fine-grained examination indicated variability in adherence across days of the week and around behavioral consultation meetings. These results contribute to the research literature supporting the utility of continued behavioral support to enhance treatment adherence.

Elementary and Middle School Teachers' Self-Reported Use of Positive Behavioral Supports for Children with ADHD: A National Survey.

This study examined elementary and middle school teachers’ self-reported use of behavioral supports for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from a national sample of teachers. This information is important given increased attention and emphasis on universal and targeted strategies within problem-solving models in schools. Participants were teachers surveyed from 26 states across North America about their use of behavioral supports for their students with ADHD. Results are grouped by primary (K–2), intermediate (3–5), and middle (6–8) school levels. Results from this survey demonstrate that teachers report using significantly more universal and targeted strategies in the primary and intermediate school levels than teachers in the middle school level, revealing a reduction of behavioral supports for students with ADHD as they move into the middle school years. These findings have have implications for targeting school-based interventions for students with ADHD as they transition into middle school.

Positive Bias in Teenage Drivers With ADHD Within a Simulated Driving Task

Objective: Youth with ADHD exhibit positive bias, an overestimation of ability, relative to external indicators. The positive bias construct is understudied in adolescents, particularly in the domain of driving. Study is needed as youth with ADHD experience greater negative outcomes in driving relative to typically developing teens. Method: Positive bias on a driving simulator task was investigated with 172 teenagers with ADHD, combined type. Youth participated in a driving simulation task and rated driving performance afterward. Results: Compared with external ratings of driving performance, youth overestimated driving competence for specific driving behaviors as well as globally. The global rating demonstrated a greater degree of positive bias. Greater positive bias on global ratings of driving ability also predicted greater rates of risky driving behaviors during the simulator exercise independent from disruptive behavior disorder symptoms. Conclusion: Results inform prevention and intervention efforts for teenage drivers with ADHD.

Bi-factor models of attention deficit/hyperactivity symptomatology in adolescents: Criterion validity and implications for clinical practice

This study evaluated the fit and criterion validity of a bifactor model for 18 DSM-IV attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, along with nine supplementary symptoms that represented the manifestation of inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity in adolescence and early adulthood. Participants included N = 172 adolescents who were diagnosed with combined type ADHD and who were enrolled in a treatment study. A bifactor model provided reasonably good fit to combined parent- and teacher-reported DSM symptoms and supplemental items at baseline prior to treatment. Across models, the general factor was characterized by high reliability (ω = .93, .95), while specific inattentive and hyperactive–impulsive factors were characterized by poor reliability (ω = .30-.50). With respect to criterion validity, the general ADHD and specific inattentive factors were uniquely associated with home and school impairment (R2 = .13-.29) but not adolescent risk-tasking behavior. Results are discussed with respect to the ways in which bifactor models of ADHD inform the diagnostic criteria for ADHD.