Testing "SupporT for ADHD and Related Treatment" (START) for Families of Children With ADHD

Launched by ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO · Mar 20, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The "SupporT for ADHD and Related Treatment" (START) trial is studying a new program designed to help families of children with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). The aim is to see if this program improves access to treatment for ADHD and enhances the overall well-being of children and their families. Families participating in the trial will be divided into two groups: one will receive the START program, which includes six sessions focusing on various strategies for managing ADHD, while the other group will receive general information about ADHD through a pamphlet. Researchers believe that those in the START program will have better access to treatment and experience improvements in family relationships and reduced stress for parents.

To be eligible for the trial, children must be between 6 and 12 years old and have a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD. They should be newly diagnosed or have not received treatment for at least the past year. Children with certain other conditions, such as significant intellectual disabilities or psychotic symptoms, will not be included. Before joining, all participants will go through a psychiatric evaluation. Those selected for the trial can expect to participate in engaging sessions aimed at improving their family dynamics and support for managing ADHD. It’s important to note that this program is currently offered only in English.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • The child is greater than or equal to 6 years old and less than or equal to 12 years old
• • The child has a diagnosis of ADHD confirmed based on clinical psychiatric evaluation with an expert child psychiatrist on the study team (PI or Co-I)
• • The diagnosis of ADHD is either new (defined as made for the first time by the study psychiatrist OR made for the first time within the prior 3 months by a medical or mental health provider) OR the child has been previously diagnosed but untreated either since diagnosis or for at least the prior 12 months. "Untreated" is defined as having received no therapeutic, medication, or school accommodations specifically for ADHD.
• • They can understand and complete informed consent and study procedures in English.
• • Children who have received treatment for other psychiatric conditions may be included if the treatment was specifically for a condition other than ADHD, to be confirmed by the study psychiatrist at enrollment.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Children with most comorbid (i.e., co-existing) psychiatric conditions with be included, but children with intellectual disability/cognitive impairment or psychotic symptoms will be excluded because these conditions would substantially change the focus of treatment
• • Children under 6 and over 12 will be excluded because the intervention was specifically designed for school age children in this age group. Developmental, adolescents and preschoolers are considerably different than school age children and may require a different approach for engaging them and their parents in ADHD care. Children under 6 with ADHD symptoms may not yet be diagnosed and may not have the same treatment access or options as children 6 and over. Adolescents over 12 are more independent and an intervention may need to be more focused on the adolescent than our current intervention which is primarily parent focused.
• • Children who were diagnosed over 3 months ago and already received treatment for ADHD will be excluded since our primary outcome is treatment engagement.
• • Because this is an intervention only available in English at this time, participants who are not able to complete study procedures in English will be excluded.