Adhering to medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children

Abstract

Despite the availability of well-established psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it remains a disorder with substantial impact on public health and individual families. Though the rate of adherence to ADHD medication is similar to that of other pediatric chronic conditions, research with this population is more limited. The current study explored the hypothesis that recognition by caregivers of child functional impairment, and caregiver perception of the doctor's medication recommendation as "hasty" would account for statistically significant variance in adherence to ADHD medication. Fourteen caregivers of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed an index medication within 6 months of recruitment participated in the current study. Measures included medication recommendation visual analog scale, Southampton ADHD Medication Behaviour and Attitudes Scale, Stimulant Adherence Measure, Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale, and pharmacy data (i.e., medication possession ratios [MPR]). We found significant correlations between adherence (i.e., MPR) and the following: number of days included in the MPR, τ = - .41, p (one-tailed) = .05, percent of children at Title 1 school considered low-income, τ = - .50, p (two-tailed) = .07, and highest grade-level completed by participant being greater than high school, τ = - .41, p (two-tailed) = .10. While the hypothesis was not supported, the relationships were in the hypothesized direction and warrant further investigation with a larger sample size. Clinicians who wish to improve adherence to ADHD medication in children may do so by working toward improving interactions between physician and caregivers (e.g., increasing shared decision-making between physician and caregivers).