Gulley, V., & Northup, J. (1997).
Comprehensive school-based behavioral assessment of the effects of methylphenidate.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
30, 627-638.
Individualized assessments of the effects of three doses of
methylphenidate (MPH) were conducted for 2 students with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder within each child's
classroom using behavioral, academic, and social measures. A
double-blind, placebo-controlled, multielement design was used to
evaluate the results. Results suggested that at least one or more
dosages of MPH were associated with some degree of improvement
for both children in each area of functioning as compared to
placebo. However, the degree of improvement at times varied
substantially across dosage and area of functioning. Results
suggest that MPH dosage and area of child functioning are
critical assessment parameters and that controlled clinical
trials are necessary to optimize the effectiveness of treatment
with MPH for the individual child.
DESCRIPTORS: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
methylphenidate, behavioral assessment, behavioral pharmacology