Behavioral Treatment

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Psychosocial treatment is a critical part of treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) in children and adolescents. The scientific literature, the National Institute of Mental Health, and many professional organizations agree that behaviorally oriented psychosocial treatments -- also called behavior therapy or behavior modification -- and stimulant medication have a solid base of scientific evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. Behavior modification is the only nonmedical treatment for AD/HD with a large scientific evidence base.

Treating AD/HD in children often involves medical, educational and behavioral interventions. This comprehensive approach to treatment is called "multimodal" and consists of parent and child education about diagnosis and treatment, specific behavior management techniques, stimulant medication, and appropriate school programming and supports. The severity and type of AD/HD may be factors in deciding which components are necessary. Treatment should be tailored to the unique needs of each child and family.