Researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) have received funding of almost £310,000 from the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme for a systematic review of methods used in school settings for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that do not involve the use of drugs.
The research, which is set to publish its findings in 2014, is also supported by the NIHR Peninsula Collaboration for Leadership and Applied Health Research and Care (PenCLAHRC).
ADHD can have a significant negative impact on a child's life. Children with ADHD are often unable to remain seated to eat, travel or study, are 'fidgety' and distractible, and struggle to focus attention and carry out complex tasks.
This in turn can lead to other issues such as defiance, disobedience, aggression, problems with other children and difficulty managing strong emotions. It can also continue into adult life, and they are less likely to fulfil their academic potential and are more likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour even if they receive recommended drug treatment.
The study will review evidence of practices used to support children with ADHD which do not involve drugs, such as classroom management programmes or psychological therapies.
The study will seek to identify which methods work best to reduce the symptoms of ADHD and which provide best value for money.
As well as reviewing existing evidence, the study will also take into account the factors that may help or hinder the delivery of non-drug based methods, and how the methods impact on parents, carers and teachers.
ADHD affects 1.7 per cent of the UK population – just over one million people, most of whom are children. It affects four times as many boys as it does girls and there is evidence to suggest that it is hereditary – if a family has one child with the condition there is a 30-40 per cent chance that a sibling will also be affected.
Methylphenidate is the drug of choice for those affected by ADHD. There has been a 65 per cent increase in spending on drugs to treat ADHD over the past four years, at a cost of over £30 million a year. The review of the effectiveness of ADHD management methods that do not involve drugs may highlight effective strategies that could be used more widely. This might reduce or remove the need for drug treatment for some children, or enhance the impact of drug treatment on their ability to access the school curriculum and other structured activities.
The research is to be led by Dr. Tamsin Ford, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Institute of Health Services Research at PCMD. She said: "The funding will help us to explore the potential of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of ADHD. Anything that improves or reduces the risk of children developing secondary behavioural problems is essential to pursue, and we hope that our research will provide parents, carers and teachers with the tools they need to implement methods of management that can supplement and / or offer an alternative to drug prescription."