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Are There Long-Term Effects of Behavior Therapy for Adolescent ADHD? A Qualitative Study

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Abstract

We utilized qualitative methodology to characterize potential long-term effects (therapeutic and iatrogenic) of behavior therapy for adolescents with ADHD. Forty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents with ADHD and parents, 4 years post-treatment. Grounded theory methods identified and reported prevalence of themes. All reported long-term effects were classified as benefits; no iatrogenic effects were noted. Long-term impact themes reported for a majority of participants included: development of organization skills (81.0%), enhanced motivation (57.1%), improved self-awareness (57.1%), improved parental knowledge of ADHD (76.2%), increased parent autonomy granting (61.9%), enhanced parental engagement with the youth (52.4%), and improved parent-teen relationships (52.4%). Fourteen themes were present for smaller subsamples, including reduced need for medication (3 of 9 medicated participants). Experimental studies of behavior therapy for adolescent ADHD should measure themes detected herein and directly test the possibility of long-term treatment effects.

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Funding

Funding was supported by National Institute of Mental Health (Grant Nos. R21MH116499, R34MH092466), Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98117, USA

    Margaret H. Sibley

  2. Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA

    Margaret H. Sibley, Jessica M. Monroy, Devin M. Hill, Margaret Johansson, Kara Link, Lydia Greenwood, Gissell Torres Antunez & Juan Carlos Reyes Francisco

  3. The Behrend College, Pennsylvania State University, Erie, PA, USA

    Christopher R. Shelton

  4. Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Ilan Garcia

Authors
  1. Margaret H. Sibley
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  2. Christopher R. Shelton
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Correspondence to Margaret H. Sibley.

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Sibley, M.H., Shelton, C.R., Garcia, I. et al. Are There Long-Term Effects of Behavior Therapy for Adolescent ADHD? A Qualitative Study. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 54, 985–996 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01294-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01294-4

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