Early intervention for preschool-age children with ADHD: A literature review

Abstract

Preschool-age children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for expulsion from preschool settings due to disruptive, noncompliant behavior. Removal from preschool limits the child's exposure to preacademic instruction, socialization opportunities, and the structure of classrooms. In this review, the authors evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological, parent training, and behavioral interventions designed to manage the disruptive behavior of preschool children with ADHD. Twenty-six experimental articles were reviewed. Pharmacological intervention, which has received the most attention, was found to be generally effective, although not without problems due to side effects. Parent-training methods were found to be effective in the home setting, but minimal information has been collected on the generalization of these findings to the school setting. Very little research has been devoted to the use of behavior management in the school setting, but results from those studies that have been done appear promising. Issues regarding future research and the use of these interventions to prepare the preschool-age child with ADHD for kindergarten are discussed.