Positive effects of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity.
This report examined the effect of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity in a secondary analysis of RUPP Autism Network data. Participants were 33 children (29 boys) between the ages of 5 and 13 years who participated in a four-week crossover trial of placebo and increasing doses of methylphenidate given in random order each for one week. Observational measures of certain aspects of children's social communication, self-regulation, and affective behavior were obtained each week. A significant positive effect of methylphenidate was seen on children's use of joint attention initiations, response to bids for joint attention, self-regulation, and regulated affective state. The results go beyond the recent literature and suggest that methylphenidate may have positive effects on social behaviors in children with PDD and hyperactivity.
Jahromi
Laudan B
LB
School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Box 873701, Tempe, AZ 85287-3701, USA. Laudan.Jahromi@asu.edu
Kasari
Connie L
CL
McCracken
James T
JT
Lee
Lisa S-Y
LS
Aman
Michael G
MG
McDougle
Christopher J
CJ
Scahill
Lawrence
L
Tierney
Elaine
E
Arnold
L Eugene
LE
Vitiello
Benedetto
B
Ritz
Louise
L
Witwer
Andrea
A
Kustan
Erin
E
Ghuman
Jaswinder
J
Posey
David J
DJ