Positive effects of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity

Abstract

This report examined the effect of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity in a secondary analysis of RUPP Autism Network data. Participants were 33 children (29 boys) between the ages of 5 and 13 years who participated in a four-week crossover trial of placebo and increasing doses of methylphenidate given in random order each for one week. Observational measures of certain aspects of children's social communication, self-regulation, and affective behavior were obtained each week. A significant positive effect of methylphenidate was seen on children's use of joint attention initiations, response to bids for joint attention, self-regulation, and regulated affective state. The results go beyond the recent literature and suggest that methylphenidate may have positive effects on social behaviors in children with PDD and hyperactivity.

Figure 1

Frequency of total joint attention initiations in JAMES task at placebo, best dose and low dose.

Figure 2

Frequency of total responses to joint attention in JAMES task at placebo and low dose.

Figure 3

Self-regulation in the Competing Demands task on placebo versus low and medium dose of methylphenidate.

Figure 4

Proportion of time in which children displayed a regulated affective state (greater neutral affect and less negative affect) in the Competing Demands task on placebo versus medium and high dose of methylphenidate.