Parental perceptions of adverse educational outcomes among children diagnosed and treated for ADHD: A call for improved school/provider collaboration

An Erratum has been published for this article in Psychology in the Schools 42(2) 2005, 227 [ ]. This research utilized parent report to examine the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), related treatment, and associated educational outcomes among elementary school children in southeastern Virginia. In a representative sample of elementary school children, 17% had been diagnosed with ADHD. The majority of diagnosed children had been medicated for ADHD (84%). More than one third of students taking medication had received no other interventions for ADHD. Over half of the diagnosed students received behavioral therapy and almost half received a combination of medical and behavioral interventions. Children diagnosed with ADHD were 3 to 7 times ( p values < 0.001) more likely than other children to receive special education, be expelled or suspended, and repeat a grade. Based on parental opinion, children diagnosed with ADHD are at high risk for school failure. Results are discussed in terms of distinctions between clinical efficacy/effectiveness and schoolwide and public health interventions implemented in the study region.