An electronic diary study of contextual triggers and ADHD: get ready, get set, get mad.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine context effects or provocation ecologies in the daily lives of children with ADHD.


METHODS
Across 7 days, mothers and children (27 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] taking stimulant medication; 25 children without ADHD; ages 7-12 years) provided electronic diary reports every 30 +/- 5 minutes during non-school hours. Child and maternal perceptions of behaviors, moods, and interaction quality during preparatory and transitional ("getting ready") activities were compared with those during other activities.


RESULTS
Maternal reports revealed that child symptomatic behaviors and negative moods, maternal negative moods, and parent-child disagreement were elevated in the ADHD but not in the comparison group while getting ready versus other activities. Children's self-ratings also revealed situational effects, indicating that school-age children with ADHD can give meaningful self-reports using carefully structured electronic diaries.


CONCLUSIONS
Even when children with ADHD are receiving stimulant pharmacotherapy, the preparatory tasks of daily living are especially challenging and linked disproportionately to child behavior problems, parent negative affect, and contentious interactions. Treatment targeted on these transitional hurdles may improve child behavior patterns and enhance parent-child relationships and family harmony.
Whalen
Carol K
CK
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company. Electronic address: ckwhalen@uci.edu.
Henker
Barbara
B
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
Ishikawa
Sharon S
SS
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
Jamner
Larry D
LD
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
Floro
Joshua N
JN
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
Johnston
Joseph A
JA
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
Swindle
Ralph
R
Drs. Whalen, Ishikawa, and Jamner, and Mr. Floro are with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Dr. Henker is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; and Drs. Johnston and Swindle are with Eli Lilly & Company.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010349:Patient Compliance