Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Refinement of an Organizational Skills Intervention for Adolescents with ADHD for Implementation by School Mental Health Providers

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
School Mental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to modify, test, and refine the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) intervention for adolescents with ADHD for use by school mental health (SMH) providers. Ten SMH providers from three school districts implemented the HOPS intervention with 11 middle school students with ADHD. Parent and teacher ratings of materials organization and homework management were collected pre- and post-intervention and treatment fidelity was assessed. SMH providers and teachers participated in focus groups and provided feedback on ways to improve the feasibility and usability of the HOPS intervention. Students made large improvements in organizational skills (d = 1.8) and homework problems (d = 1.6) according to parent ratings; however, no improvements were observed on teacher ratings. Qualitative data generated from coding the focus groups and audio-recorded HOPS sessions were combined with the quantitative results to systematically refine the HOPS intervention for further evaluation of intervention effectiveness and disseminability.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abikoff, H., & Gallagher, R. (2008). Assessment and remediation of organizational skills deficits in children with ADHD. In K. McBurnett, L. Pfiffner, R. Schachar, G. R. Elliott, & J. Nigg (Eds.), Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A 21st century perspective (pp. 137–152). USA: CRC Press.

  • Abikoff, H., & Gallagher, R. (2009). Children’s organizational skills scales (COSS), technical manual. North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th edn). Washington, DC: Author.

  • Anesko, K. M., Schoiock, G., Ramirez, R., & Levine, F. M. (1987). The homework problem checklist: Assessing children’s homework problems. Behavioral Assessment, 9, 179–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chorpita, B. F. (2003). The frontier of evidence-based practice. In A. E.Kazdin & J. R. Weisz (Eds.), Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents (pp. 42–59). NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J., Power, T. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., & Reid, R. (1998). ADHD rating scale-IV: Checklists, norms, and clinical interpretation. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Allen, J., Moore, S., & Strauss, V. (2005a). Measuring symptoms and functioning of youth with ADHD in middle schools. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(6), 695–706.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Langberg, J., Raggi, V., Allen, J., & Buvinger, E. (2005b). Development of a school-based treatment program for middle school youth with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 9, 343–353.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Serpell, Z., & White, C. (2005c). The transition to middle school: Preparing for challenge and success. Attention! (CHADD), June, 29–31.

  • Evans, S. W., Langberg, J., & Williams, J. (2003). Treatment generalization in school-based mental health. In M. Weist, S. Evans, & N. Lever (Eds.), Handbook of school mental health: Advancing practice and research (pp. 335–348). New York: Kluwer/Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Schultz, B. K., White, L. C., Brady, C., Sibley, M. H., & Van Eck, K. (2009). A school-based organization intervention for young adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. School Mental Health, 1, 78–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Serpell, Z. N., Schultz, B., & Pastor, D. (2007). Cumulative benefits of secondary school-based treatment of students with ADHD. School Psychology Review, 36, 256–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frazier, T. W., Youngstrom, E. A., Glutting, J. J., & Watkins, M. W. (2007). ADHD and achievement: Meta-analysis of the child, adolescent, and adult literatures and a concomitant study with college students. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(1), 49–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Froehlich, T. E., Lanphear, B. P., Epstein, J. N., Barberesi, W. J., Katusic, S. K., & Kahn, R. S. (2007). Prevalence and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a national sample of US children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161(9), 857–864.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hatch, A. (2002). Doing qualitative research in education settings. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoagwood, K., Burns, B. J., & Weisz, J. R. (2002). A profitable conjunction: From science to service in children’s mental health. In Burns & Hoagwood (Eds.), Community treatment for youth: Evidence-based interventions for severe emotional and behavioral disorders (pp. 327–338). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M. (2011). Homework, organization and planning skills (HOPS) interventions for the disorganized child: A treatment manual. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Arnold, L. E., Flowers, A. M., Altaye, M., Epstein, J. N., & Molina, B. S. G. (2010a). Assessing homework problems in children with ADHD: Validation of a parent-report measure and evaluation of homework performance patterns. School Mental Health, 2(1), 3–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Arnold, L. E., Flowers, A. M., Epstein, J. N., Altaye, M., Hinshaw, S. P., et al. (2010b). Parent-reported homework problems in the MTA study: Evidence for sustained improvement with behavioral treatment. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 39(2), 220–233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Epstein, J. N., & Graham, A. (2008a). The use of organizational skills interventions in the treatment of children, adolescents and adults with ADHD. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 8(10), 1549–1561.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Epstein, J. N., Urbanowicz, C., Simon, J., & Graham, A. (2008b). Efficacy of an organization skills intervention to improve the academic functioning of students with ADHD. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(3), 407–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Epstein, J. N., Altaye, M., Molina, B., Arnold, E., & Vitiello, B. (2008c). The transition to middle school is associated with changes in the developmental trajectory of ADHD symptomatology in young adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37(3), 651–663.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Molina, B. S. G., Arnold, L. E., Epstein, J. N., Altaye, M., Hinshaw, S. P., et al. (in press). Patterns and predictors of adolescent academic achievement and performance in a sample of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

  • Molina, B. S. G., Hinshaw, S. P., Swanson, J. M., Arnold, L. E., Vitiello, B., Jensen, P. S., et al. (2009). The MTA at 8 years: Prospective follow-up of children treated for combined type ADHD in a multisite study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(5), 484–500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfiffner, L. J., Mikami, A. Y., Huang-Pollock, C., Easterlin, B., Zalecki, C., & McBurrnet, K. (2007). A randomized, controlled trial of integrated home-school behavioral treatment for ADHD, predominately inattentive type. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46(8), 1041–1050.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Power, T. J., Werba, B. E., Watkins, M. W., Angelucci, J. G., & Eiraldi, R. B. (2006). Patterns of parent-reported homework problems among ADHD-referred and non-referred children. School Psychology Quarterly, 21, 13–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Psychological Corporation. (1999). Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence. San Antonio, TX: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, D., Fischer, P., Lucas, C. P., Dulcan, M. K., & Schwab-Stone, M. E. (2000). NIMH diagnostic interview schedule for children version IV (NIMH DISC-IV): Description, differences from previous versions, and reliability of some common diagnoses. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(1), 28–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, J. R. (2000). Lab-clinic differences and what we can do about them: The clinic-based treatment development model. Clinical Child Psychology Newsletter, 15(1), 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, J. R., Donenberg, G. R., Han, S. S., & Kauneckis, D. (1995a). Child and adolescent psychotherapy outcomes in experiments versus clinics: Why the disparity? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 23(1), 83–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, J. R., Donenberg, G. R., Han, S. S., & Weiss, B. (1995b). Bridging the gap between laboratory and clinic in child and adolescent psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63(5), 688–701.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, J. R., Jensen, A. L., & McLeod, B. D. (2004). Development and dissemination of child and adolescent psychotherapies: Milestones, methods, and a new deployment-focused model. In E. D. Hibbs & P. S. Jensen (Eds.), Psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent disorders: Empirically-based approaches (2nd ed., pp. 9–39). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolraich, M. L., Feurer, I. D., Hannah, J. N., Baumgaertel, A., & Pinnock, T. Y. (1998). Obtaining systematic teacher reports of disruptive behavior disorders utilizing DSM-IV. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 26, 141–152.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolraich, M. L., Lambert, W., Doffing, M. A., Bickman, L., Simmons, T., & Worley, K. (2003). Psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt ADHD diagnostic parent rating scale in a referred population. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 28(8), 559–568.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolraich, M. L., Wibbelsman, C. J., Brown, T. E., Evans, S. W., Gotlieb, E. M., Knight, J. R., et al. (2005). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adolescents: A review of the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical implications. Pediatrics, 115(6), 1734–1746.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by Institute of Education Sciences (IES) R305A090305.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joshua M. Langberg.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Langberg, J.M., Vaughn, A.J., Williamson, P. et al. Refinement of an Organizational Skills Intervention for Adolescents with ADHD for Implementation by School Mental Health Providers. School Mental Health 3, 143–155 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-011-9055-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-011-9055-8

Keywords

Navigation