Child & Family Behavior Therapy

The evolution and impact of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has long remained one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders among childhood, affecting approximately 7% of youth worldwide. Without intervention, such children are at risk for both immediate and future challenges, including poorer school performance and overall academic success, interpersonal issues, financial issues, employment issues, and higher rates of risky and unhealthy behaviors. They are also at risk for a range of comorbid mental health and medical pathologies. Evidence-informed treatment recommendations commonly fall into either the behavioral or cognitive-behavioral orientations. Across time, ADHD-related interventions have taken many forms, have been implemented in many settings and with multiple types of patients, and have evolved to include technology-enhanced approaches.

The current special edition of Child and Family Behavior Therapy aims to add to the knowledge base by highlighting literature reviewing, evaluating, and expanding upon the current understanding of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for children diagnosed with ADHD. Both qualitative and quantitative manuscripts will be considered, including, but not limited to:

• Reviews and analyses (e.g., scoping, systematic, meta-analytic) of ADHD interventions. Reviews can be inclusive of psychology alone, or broader in scope to include non-psychology literature to compare outcomes.
• Comparisons of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies.
• Comparisons of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies to other therapies, both psychosocial and pharmacological.
• Considerations and methodologies for adaptations of ADHD interventions.
• Outcomes of ADHD-related interventions for unique populations and comorbid pathologies.
• Programmatic description and/or evaluations of novel behavioral or cognitive-behavioral ADHD interventions that includes a formal theoretical foundation, methodology, and ideally, pilot data to justify means.
• Novel implementation of technologies with behavioral and cognitive-behavioral ADHD-focused interventions (e.g., apps, video, artificial intelligence).