Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness of Integrated Services for Children With ADHD in Urban Primary Care Practices

• Published in: Clinical practice in pediatric psychology 2014-12, Vol.2 (4), p.412-426
• Main Authors: Power, Thomas J., Mautone, Jennifer A., Marshall, Stephen A., Jones, Heather A., Cacia, Jaclyn, Tresco, Katy, Cassano, Michael C., Jawad, Abbas F., Guevara, James P., Blum, Nathan J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Female; Human; Integrated Services; Male; Primary Health Care
• ISSN: 2169-4826; 2169-4834
• DOI: 10.1037/cpp0000056

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of Partnering to Achieve School Success (PASS), a multimodal intervention for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based in urban primary care practices. Using a quasi-experimental design, families in PASS (n = 33) were compared with those in a control condition receiving treatment as usual plus 4 parent education and support groups (n = 39). Participants included children with parent-reported ADHD in Grades K to 4. PASS components include the following: (a) family engagement strategies, (b) family behavior therapy, (c) family-school consultation, (d) collaborative care with the pediatric primary care provider, and (e) trauma-informed care. The findings indicated that on average, families attended 9 PASS sessions, similar to the amount of treatment provided in clinic-based studies. Parents viewed PASS as an acceptable treatment. Preliminary outcome findings demonstrated that PASS is a promising approach to reducing barriers to care, improving parenting practices, and reducing child impairment. The findings affirmed the feasibility of providing PASS in urban primary care, and highlighted the challenges of engaging families in treatment and linking the primary care and school systems in urban settings.