title: Positive effects of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Box 873701, Tempe, AZ 85287-3701, USA. Laudan.Jahromi@asu.edu
authors.forename: Laudan B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Jahromi
authors.forename: Connie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kasari
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: Lisa S-Y
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McDougle
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.forename: L Eugene
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Witwer
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kustan
authors.forename: Jaswinder
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghuman
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Posey