DRUG TREATMENT OF HYPERACTIVITY IN CHILDREN

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Abstract
Recently-developed quantitative reviewing procedures were applied to 61 selected studies to explore the efficacy of pharmacological management for children identified as hyperactive. Analysis of effect-size information derived from the studies revealed that the average child receiving drug treatment was less hyperactive than 88.5% of the control children. Of this effect, 30% was attributed to placebo phenomenon. Drug therapy had the most pronounced effect on dependent variables consisting of standardized or informal measures of behavior and the least effect on measures of IQ and academic achievement. The advantages of quantitative reviewing methodology for adding clarity and consensus to complex bodies of literature are demonstrated and discussed.

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