Improving ADHD treatment through team-based school interventions

Enhancing Team Effectiveness for a Collaborative School-based Intervention for ADHD

This study is testing a new team-based approach to improve a school program for children with ADHD to see if it helps them do better in school.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 144 (estimated)
• Ages: 7 Years to 11 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of California, San Diego (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (San Diego, California)
• Trial ID: NCT06180681 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This project aims to enhance the effectiveness of a school-based intervention for children with ADHD by integrating team-based implementation strategies. The Collaborative Life Skills Program (CLS) will be modified to include team development interventions such as Team Charters, Team Communication Training, and Team Performance Monitoring. The study will evaluate the impact of this enhanced implementation (CLS-T) on both the fidelity of the intervention and the outcomes for children with ADHD. Focus groups will also be conducted to gather perceptions from parents, teachers, and school mental health providers regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the intervention.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are children aged 7-11 years with ADHD-related problems who are attending participating schools.

Not a fit: Children with severe visual or hearing impairments, severe language delays, or those in all-day special education classrooms may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to improved ADHD symptoms and better academic and social outcomes for children.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success with team-based interventions in educational settings, suggesting potential for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Youth ages of 7-11 years (2-5th grade) who are attending a participating school
2. Child referred by a school mental health provider (SMHP) with apparent ADHD-related problems,
3. ≥6 symptoms (item score ≥2) of Inattention or Hyperactivity-Impulsivity on the pooled parent and teacher Child Symptom Inventory
4. ≥3 on the Impairment Rating Scale by parent and teacher (cross-situational impairment)
5. Caretaker and teacher consent to participate in treatment and child provides assent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. No presence of conditions that are incompatible with this study's treatment including: severe visual or hearing impairment, severe language delay or intellectual impairment, psychosis, pervasive developmental disorder
2. Child is in an all-day special education classroom (children in these classrooms are frequently receiving intensive behavior modification programs such that the intervention would be expected to require modification for use in these settings)
3. Parent/primary caregiver or child does not read or speak English. Note: Participats will need to be able to read/speak English because all measures are in English, and the intervention will be conducted in English. Parents will be given the option of having a research staff member assist them in completing the assessment measures.
4. Children planning to change (start or stop) psychotropic medication Note: Children taking medication will be required to meet all entry criteria, including impairment criteria, thus indicating a need for the intervention. Children taking medication for attention or behavior are eligible as long as their medication regimens are stable.

Where this trial is running

San Diego, California

• IN STEP Children's Mental Health Center — San Diego, California, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Miguel Villodas, Ph.D. — San Diego State University
• Study coordinator: Lilliana Conradi, BA

Conditions Team-effectiveness Research; School-based Interventions; Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder; Implementation Science