ADHD and Related Problems in the Classroom: Perspectives for Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that present cross-situationally (i.e., at home and at school) before the age of 6 (ICD-10) or 12 years (DSM-5) affects about 3% to 5% of children and is associated with significant problems at school (e.g., learning problems, peer-problems). On average, 2 to 3 children with ADHD are present in every classroom who exhibit such symptoms with the associated problems. To date, ADHD is typically treated with psychostimulants that reduce the core symptoms and result in less disturbing classroom behavior. However, not every child responds to psychostimulants or other medication, and effects typically decline when treatment is terminated. Behavioral interventions, on the other hand, result in overall smaller effects and take longer to show effects but are more sustainable. Classroom-based interventions have been associated with large effects reducing disruptive behavior. As cross-situational impairment is a core symptom criterion, it might be beneficial to focus on areas of life where impairment according to ADHD is largest. As such, classroom-based interventions might augment individual treatments with psychostimulants and/or behavior interventions. However, the two fields of research, i.e., clinical psychology/psychiatry and education, are currently not connected very well. As such, the current Special Issue a) focuses on novel approaches that target problems associated with ADHD in classroom settings; b) seeks to collect manuscripts of high quality from different perspectives of science that target ADHD and associated problems (e.g., comorbid disorders such as conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, impairments in reading, writing, and math) in classroom or comparable settings; c) aims to identify potentials for effective and sustainable reductions in impairment across different disciplines. The issue will thus relate to work in the field of clinical psychology/psychiatry that targets interventions, comorbid disorders, and associated problems as well as to other fields of science, such as educational psychology, which focus on classroom-based interventions and peer relations.

Prof. Dr. Hanna Christiansen
Prof. Dr. Malte Schwinger
Guest Editors

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• ADHD
• learning difficulties
• classroom
• school
• intervention