Children With Conduct Problems and Co-occurring ADHD: Behavioral Improvements Following Parent Management Training

Abstract

To scale up evidence-based treatment of conduct problems, parent management training, Oregon model (PMTO) has been disseminated throughout Norway. This study examined whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) predicted the outcomes of PMTO. Of 253 children and families, 97 were reported to have an ADHD diagnosis. Although different at intake, the groups with and without ADHD had close to an equal change in behavioral status following treatment. Maternal depression and family income predicted the combined group's behavior following PMTO. The study indicates that reductions in conduct problems following PMTO are of the same magnitude in children with or without ADHD. However, some characteristics may differentially predict outcomes for children with combined problems.

Keywords: ADHD; conduct problems; outcome predictions; parent management training.

FIGURE 1

Regression lines for posttreatment scores on parent-reported externalizing (CBCL), teacher-reported externalizing (TRF), parent daily report (PDR), and teacher-reported academic competence (SSRS) as a function of combinations of maternal anxiety/depression and ADHD/not ADHD.

FIGURE 2

Regression lines for posttreatment scores on teacher-reported externalizing (TRF), parent-reported social competence (SSRS), and teacher-reported attention problems (TRF) as a function of combinations of family income and ADHD/not ADHD.