Who helped with what to treat ADHD
We asked parents to tell us which interventions were used by each treatment provider. Pediatricians and child psychiatrists were most likely to prescribe medication. Clinical psychologists were more likely to provide general coping skills for managing ADHD, behavior and/or talk therapies, and skills for parents to help their children at home. Those interventions were also offered somewhat frequently by all the other providers with the exception of pediatricians.
When it came to helping out at school, the professionals within the school were most likely to be helpful. Both school professionals (nonpsychologists) and school psychologists were the most likely to work with the child's teachers.
Who children see for ADHD, and the treatments they get
| Pediatrician | Child psychiatrist (M.D.) | School professional | School psychologist | Clinical psychol- ogist (Ph.D., Psy.D.) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescribes medication | 77% | 66% | NA | NA | NA |
| Provides general coping skills | 17 | 40 | 44 | 40 | 64 |
| Provides behavior therapy | 5 | 27 | 35 | 38 | 45 |
| Provides talk therapy | 15 | 44 | 35 | 41 | 64 |
| Works with parents to provide skills to help child at home | 27 | 44 | 37 | 37 | 51 |
| Works with teachers to help child at school | 6 | 14 | 70 | 65 | 15 |
| Tutors child to help with schoolwork | 2 | 4 | 39 | 16 | 4 |
| Helps manage diet and nutrition | 30 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 13 |
| Alternative treatments | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| None of the above | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
