BUFFALO, N.Y., Apr 7, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A meta-analysis of 174
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder studies finds treating behavior works
as well as giving drugs, a U.S. researcher said.
The study, published in Clinical Psychology Review, finds teaching parents and
teachers how to respond when ADHD children do things the right way as well as
when they display harmful or aggressive behavior is as effective and sometimes
more effective, than medication.
"This review shows that behavioral treatments work, and in general work well,"
first author Gregory A. Fabiano of the University at Buffalo said in a
statement.
"For the past couple of decades, there has been considerable professional
controversy about the role and adequacy of behavior modification treatments in
the care of children with ADHD. The next step is to figure out how to make them
work for individual families over the long run, because we now know that ADHD is
a lifelong condition."
Through use of behavior modification, children could bypass the risk of side
effects from ADHD drugs and achieve the same or better results as drug
treatments, Fabiano noted.
"Our results suggest that efforts should be redirected from debating the
effectiveness of behavioral interventions to dissemination, enhancing and
improving the use of these programs in community, school and mental health
settings," Fabiano said.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International