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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03628781

Improving ADHD Behavioral Care

Though the most effective treatment for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) consists of combined medication and behavioral strategies, the vast majority of children with ADHD are treated with medication only. One reason for the low rates of behavioral treatment is that primary care pediatricians, not mental health professionals, are responsible for treating the vast majority of children with ADHD. The investigators have developed, tested, and are beginning to disseminate web-based software (mehealth for ADHD) that has been shown in randomized clinical trials to improve the quality of ADHD medication care delivered by pediatricians. The goal of the proposed study is to develop and test the integration of behavioral tools into the evidence-based myadhdportal.com software in order to improve access to behavioral treatment strategies, and ultimately improve outcomes for children with ADHD. The automated algorithms and decision rules the investigators have developed for creating and monitoring the behavioral tools ensure that behavioral treatments like daily report cards and token economies are delivered in a manner that is consistent with the evidence-base. The investigators are conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial in community pediatric settings to test whether integration of the behavioral tools into the myADHDportal.com software (1) increases rates of behavioral treatment; (2) facilitates better integrity of behavioral interventions when implemented; (3) improves functional impairment in children with ADHD; and (4) generates higher satisfaction with ADHD care. By continuing to expand the functionality of the myADHDportal.com software, the investigators are increasing patients' access to evidence-based care. This is especially critical for rural and underserved communities who have no or limited access to evidence-based mental health services. Moreover, by putting these behavioral tools in the hands of parents, teachers, and pediatricians, the investigators are making it more likely that children will receive a high quality of care that includes both medication management and behavioral strategies, thereby improving the overall treatment outcomes of children with ADHD.

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Key information

Conditions

ADHD Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

5 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229-3026, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • child in grades K-5
  • child has been diagnosed with ADHD by pediatrician or other mental health professional
  • child's ADHD care is currently being managed by pediatrician
  • if child is being prescribed ADHD medication, is currently on a stable dosage of medication
  • child is experiencing impairment at school as evidenced by a rating of 3 or higher on parent- or teacher-ratings of "academic progress" or "problems in classroom" and on the Impairment Rating Scale.

Exclusion criteria

  • parent does not have access to a computer or smartphone

Treatment and study plan

Behavioral tools integrated within mehealth for ADHD software

Other

Integrated functionality within the mehealth for ADHD software allows parents and teachers to set up and deliver behavioral interventions such as daily report card systems and home-based program such as star charts. Automated wizards lead parents and teachers through the process of selecting target behaviors and setting up reward schedules. Baseline data is gathered online and algorithms derive a set of behavioral goals for the child. Thereafter, parents or teachers record the child's performance directly into the software. Once behavioral monitoring begins, parents and teachers receive daily email or text communications from mehealth for ADHD alerting them to the daily rewards earned by their child. Finally, online algorithms exist that detect how a child is doing in meeting behavioral goals and prompt users to modify goals accordingly.

mehealth for ADHD

Other

The mehealth for ADHD software has multiple functionalities including 1) online training regarding the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ADHD guidelines; 2) an ADHD workflow wizard that guides pediatricians through the creation of an efficient office workflow to deliver quality ADHD care; 3) online collection of parent- and teacher-report ADHD rating scales for the assessment of ADHD as well as monitoring response to medication treatment; 4) integrated algorithms that automatically score rating scales in real time and provide pediatricians with assessment and treatment reports as well as immediate warnings; 5) a communication feature that allows parents, teachers, and pediatricians to communicate with each other; 6) an online pediatrician "report card"; and 7) a Plan-Do-Study-Act wizard that allows pediatricians to select a practice behavior to improve based on their report card and guides them through the creation of small tests of change to improve their office systems.

Primary outcomes

  1. Rates of Behavioral Treatment

    Time frame: 12 months after randomization

    Parent-report of implementation of behavioral interventions on the Services Use in Children and Adolescents Parent Interview

Secondary outcomes

  1. Parent Rating of School Performance on Impairment Rating Scale

    Time frame: 6 months after randomization

    Parent rating of child's impairment on School Performance on the Impairment Rating Scale. Items rated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (no impairment) to 6 (extreme impairment).

  2. Teacher Rating of Academic Performance on Impairment Rating Scale

    Time frame: 6 months after randomization

    Teacher rating of child's impairment on Academic Performance on the Impairment Rating Scale. Items rated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (no impairment) to 6 (extreme impairment).

  3. Teacher Rating of Classroom Performance on Impairment Rating Scale

    Time frame: 6 months after randomization

    Teacher rating of child's impairment on Classroom Performance on the Impairment Rating Scale. Items rated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (no impairment) to 6 (extreme impairment).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Other

Collaborators

  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Registry information

Official study title

Improving ADHD Behavioral Care Quality in Community-Based Pediatric Settings

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Aug 14, 2018
Registry last updated
Feb 25, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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