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. 1999 Spring;32(1):35–50. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1999.32-35

Further analysis of the separate and interactive effects of methylphenidate and common classroom contingencies.

J Northup 1, I Fusilier 1, V Swanson 1, J Huete 1, T Bruce 1, J Freeland 1, V Gulley 1, S Edwards 1
PMCID: PMC1284539  PMID: 10201102

Abstract

We evaluated separate and interactive effects between common classroom contingencies and methylphenidate (MPH) on disruptive and off-task behaviors for 4 children with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Analogue conditions consisting of contingent teacher reprimands, brief time-out, no interaction, and alone were conducted in a multielement design. Medication status (MPH or placebo) was alternated across days in a superordinate multielement design. Results indicate that (a) the behavioral effects of MPH were influenced by one or more of the analogue conditions for each participant, and (b) time-out was associated with zero or near-zero levels of both disruptive and off-task behavior for 3 of the 4 participants during MPH and placebo conditions. Implications for the clinical effectiveness of MPH and possible behavioral mechanisms of action of MPH in applied settings are discussed.

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Selected References

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