The Effects of Stimulant Medication on Disruptive Behavior, Choice, and Preference in Children and Adolescents Exhibiting Disruptive Behavior

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of stimulant medication on disruptive behavior, function, preference, and choice in children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) who exhibit disruptive behavior. The study aims to improve methods for assessing how stimulant medication influences these behaviors by conducting three types of behavior assessments: preference assessments, functional analyses, and choice assessments. This trial is primarily methodological and involves a small group of 5 to 10 participants. The study is divided into three phases with a total of eight visits. During visits 1 to 4, participants undergo preference assessments and functional analyses, alternating between taking their prescribed stimulant medication and refraining from it. Visits 5 to 8 continue with preference assessments and introduce a choice arrangement where participants organize work and play activities using picture cards. Medication is taken on visits 1, 3, 5, and 7, and withheld on visits 2, 4, 6, and 8. Each visit includes specific tasks such as academic work, play periods, and behavioral observations. Participants will be involved in assessments lasting 1 to 2 hours per visit over eight weekly visits. Data collected include engagement with items and activities, frequency and function of disruptive behavior, choice-making, compliance, and impulsivity. Researchers will use computer software to record and analyze behavior during therapy room sessions. Outcome measures focus on changes in behavioral function, item preference, social and nonsocial activity preferences, and impulsivity, comparing periods on and off medication. The study also monitors problem behavior rates and task compliance throughout the visits.

Stimulant Effects on Disruptive Behavior