Separate and combined effects of methylphenidate and a behavioral intervention on disruptive behavior in children with mental retardation.
We investigated the separate and combined effects of a behavioral intervention and methylphenidate (Ritalin) on disruptive behavior and task engagement in 3 children with severe to profound mental retardation. The behavioral intervention involved differential reinforcement of appropriate behavior and guided compliance. All 3 children demonstrated decreased disruptive behavior and improved task engagement in response to the response to the behavioral intervention. Two of the 3 children demonstrated similar improvement in response to methylphenidate. Although both interventions were highly effective for these 2 participants, the relative efficacy of the interventions varied between the 2 children. There was no evidence of an additive or synergistic effect of the two interventions, but the high efficacy of each intervention alone limited our ability to detect such effects.
Blum
N J
NJ
University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Mauk
J E
JE
McComas
J J
JJ
Mace
F C
FC
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012931:Social Environment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008774:Methylphenidate