Tanya L. Eckert

Academic Interventions for Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Review of the Literature

Students with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently underachieve academically and are at risk for poor scholastic outcome. This article reviews empirical studies that have reported the effects of academic interventions with this population. Intervention approaches are reviewed in the general categories of peer tutoring, computer‐assisted instruction, task and instructional modifications, and strategy training. Some of these strategies (e.g., peer tutoring, task modifications) appear to enhance both academic performance and attentional behavior. Strategies that directly address the academic difficulties experienced by students with ADHD must be part of the treatment package if educational success is to be achieved. Recommendations for practice and future research efforts are delineated.

Early Intervention for Preschool-Age Children with ADHD A Literature Review

Preschool-age children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for expulsion from preschool settings due to disruptive, noncompliant behavior. Removal from preschool limits the childs exposure to preacademic instruction, socialization opportunities, and the structure of classrooms. In this review, the authors evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological, parent training, and behavioral interventions designed to manage the disruptive behavior of preschool children with ADHD. Twenty-six experimental articles were reviewed. Pharmacological intervention, which has received the most attention, was found to be generally effective, although not without problems due to side effects. Parent-training methods were found to be effective in the home setting, but minimal information has been collected on the generalization of these findings to the school setting. Very little research has been devoted to the use of behavior management in the school setting, but results from those studies that have been done appear promising. Issues regarding future research and the use of these interventions to prepare the preschool-age child with ADHD for kindergarten are discussed.

Teachers' perceptions of students' reading abilities: An examination of the relationship between teachers' judgments and students' performance across a continuum of rating methods.

Teacher perceptions about students’ academic abilities are important for several reasons (e.g., instructional decision making, special education entitlement decisions). Not surprisingly, researchers have investigated the accuracy of teachers’ decisions. Although some data reveal that teachers are relatively good judges of academic performance, other findings have suggested otherwise. A likely explanation for conflicting findings is the varying assessment methods (e.g., direct vs. indirect, norm-referenced vs. peer-independent) and different data analysis procedures that have been used across studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate a continuum of teacher-perception assessment methods as they corresponded to students’ oral reading fluency performance. Participants included 10 teachers and 87 first, second, and third grade students from a suburban school in the northeast. Overall results suggested that teachers were generally accurate when estimating students’ performance when students had strong oral reading fluency skills, but teachers had more difficulty judging students with average to low oral reading fluency. Further, data interpretation of teachers’ judgment accuracy differed somewhat depending upon the statistical method employed. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research related to this study are discussed.

Empirically evaluating the effectiveness of reading interventions: The use of brief experimental analysis and single case designs

Recent advances in area of brief experimental analysis have demonstrated that comparative single case designs can be used to meet criteria for empirically supported treatments. The purpose of the present study is to provide an overview of how single case design methodology can be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of school-based interventions in the area of reading. We examined the effects of combining skill-based and performance-based reading interventions on the oral reading fluency of four elementary-aged students identified with mild reading problems. A brief experimental analysis using an adapted alternating treatment design was employed to examine the effects of the intervention conditions across a 12-week period. For a majority of the participants, the effects of combining these two types of interventions resulted in greater oral reading rates than when a skill-based intervention was presented in isolation. The results of this study demonstrate how single case design elements, combined with brief experimental analysis, can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments as well as treatment components.

An Experimental Analysis of Mathematics Instructional Components: Examining the Effects of Student-Selected Versus Empirically-Selected Interventions

Within the context of an experimental analysis, the current study examined the effects of student- and empirically-selected interventions on the mathematics computational fluency of three elementary-aged students. For all of the participants, the empirically-selected intervention resulted in higher levels of computational fluency then the student-selected intervention. These results suggest that empirically-selected interventions may enhance the mathematics computational fluency of students experiencing mathematics problems. However, individual responsiveness to empirically-selected interventions suggests the importance of conducting brief experimental analyses to determine the most efficacious intervention. The implication of these results for intervention selection and incorporating choice-making opportunities into academic interventions are discussed.

Outcomes of a multi-component intervention for preschool children at-risk for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ABSTRACT The purpose of this investigation was to investigate a comprehensive, multi-component approach to the treatment of preschool children at-risk for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) in home and school settings. The treatment program included school-based consultation, parent training, and if necessary, pharmacological treatment. A sample of 57 children identified as at-risk for AD/HD between 3 and 5 years of age were randomly assigned to an early intervention group (n = 30) or a community treatment control group (n = 27). Effect sizes were utilized to examine treatment outcomes. Results indicated mixed effects of early intervention on child behavior, parent-child interactions, family functioning, and pre-academic skills. Implications of these results for the implementation and further study of multi-component, early interventions for this population are discussed.

Development and refinement of a measure for assessing the acceptability of assessment methods: The assessment rating profile-revised

This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of the Assessment Rating Profile-Revised (ARP-R), an instrument designed to evaluate the acceptability of assessment methods. First, an overview of the initial exploratory work on the original scale, the Assessment Rating Profile (APR; Kratochwill & Van Someren, 1984), is provided. Research examining the reliability and validity of the ARP is reviewed and psychometric inadequacies are highlighted. Next, the results of a study examining the psychometric properties of the revised measure are reported. The results of the study indicated that the ARP-R demonstrated good internal consistency, with coefficients ranging from .94 to .99. Test-retest reliability across 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals rangedfrom .82 to .85, suggesting adequate stability over time. Confirmatory factor analytic procedures indicated a reasonable fit of the data to the proposed one-factor model, “General Assessment Acceptability.” Lastly, suggestions are made regarding use of the ARP-R in applied and research settings.

Generalization Programming and School-Based Consultation: An Examination of Consultees' Generalization of Consultation-Related Skills

One of the highlighted benefits of school-based consultation is that it has the potential to be preventive. Unfortunately, many of the preventive advantages of consultation have yet to be fully evaluated. The purpose of this study was to first examine the extent to which teachers generalize consultation-related skills in the classroom. A second purpose was to examine the extent to which teachers generalize consultation-related skills in the classroom following a generalization prompt and a generalization-training program. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used to examine generalization of school-based consultation and the effects of a generalization prompt and a generalization training condition. In general, 2 of the 3 participants demonstrated at least some increase in generalization behaviors following the generalization prompt and generalization training program. Overall, the results suggest that providing a specific generalization prompt and participating in a generalization training program have promise as means of increasing the amount that teachers generalize, but that generalization is difficult to program.

Interaction effects between the 5-hydroxy tryptamine transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype and family conflict on adolescent alcohol use and misuse

AIMS To investigate whether the effects of family conflict on adolescent drinking differed as a function of 5-hydroxy tryptamine transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype cross-sectionally and prospectively in two independent samples of adolescents. DESIGN Path analysis and multi-group analysis of two prospective datasets were conducted. SETTINGS United States and United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS Sample 1 was 175 adolescents in the United States (mean age = 15 at times 1 and 2 with a 6-month interval); Sample 2 was 4916 adolescents in the United Kingdon (mean age = 12 at time 1 and 15 at time 2). MEASUREMENTS In both samples, demographics, tri-allelic 5-HTTLPR genotype and perceived family conflict were assessed at time 1. Alcohol use (frequency of drinking) and alcohol misuse (frequency of intoxication, frequency of drinking three or more drinks, maximum number of drinks) were assessed at times 1 and 2. FINDINGS A significant gene-environment interaction on alcohol misuse at time 1 was found in both sample 1 (β = 0.57, P = 0.001) and sample 2 (β = 0.19, P = 0.01), indicating that the 5-HTTLPR low-activity allele carriers exposed to higher levels of family conflict were more likely to engage in alcohol misuse than non-carriers. A significant gene-environment interaction effect on change in alcohol misuse over time was found only in sample 1 (β = 0.48, P = 0.04) but not in sample 2. CONCLUSIONS Compared with non-carriers, adolescents carrying the 5-HTTLPR low-activity allele are more susceptible to the effects of family conflict on alcohol misuse.

Child Abuse and School Settings: An Examination of School Psychologists' Background, Competency, and Training Needs

Child abuse awareness has increased over the past few decades. This awareness has impacted educational systems. As a result, some states have mandatory training to provide schools with information and policies on child abuse reporting. Research shows professionals report less than half of suspected cases; educators do not exclusively represent these professionals. Few studies have focused on child abuse reporting training and competency for school psychologists. This study examined the satisfaction of previous training, knowledge of reporting issues, and interest in future training for school psychologists in New York State. Results indicate school psycholo-gists are dissatisfied with training. Specific areas of interest and competencies related to child abuse reporting issues are identified. Limitations and further research are addressed.