The Improvement of Individually Defined Problem Behaviors during a Telephone-Assisted Self-Help Intervention for Parents of Pharmacologically Treated Children with ADHD

Abstract

Background: This study examined change in individually defi ned problem behaviors during a telephone-assisted self-help (TASH) intervention for parents of children with attention-defi cit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Parents of children with ADHD and functional impairment despite methylphenidate treatment participated in a 12-month TASH intervention (8 self-help booklets plus up to 14 counseling telephone calls). The severity of three individually defi ned target problems, of ADHD symptoms, and oppositional symptoms were rated at baseline and after 6 and 12 months; parental satisfaction with the intervention was assessed after 12 months. The problems were categorized according to the type of behavior and the disorder to which they were related (ADHD vs. oppositional symptoms). Results: Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed a signifi cant decrease in problem severity during the intervention. The change in problem severity was greater than the change in ADHD and oppositional symptoms. Correlations between problem severity and symptom severity were low to moderate. Correlations between the change in problem severity and parental satisfaction were moderate. Discussion: The decrease in the individual problem severity during TASH is stronger than the decrease in ADHD and oppositional symptoms. Individually defi ned problems should be attended to in psychotherapy research to avoid underestimating the benefi t of interventions by solely considering standardized measures.