Best Practices in School Mental Health for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Framework for Intervention

Abstract

Children with ADHD comprise one of the most common groups requiring supports from school mental health providers, yet current school structures and special education policies are not optimally situated to support and adapt to the inconsistent behaviors that are the hallmark of children with ADHD. The present paper reviews and synthesizes contemporary evidence-based reviews for school mental health interventions for children with ADHD across the preschool, elementary, and middle/high school levels to provide an overview of recommendations for best practice for school mental health practitioners. The preponderance of evidence across meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines support classroom contingency management strategies, with emerging evidence supporting training in organizational skills and homework supports. Behavioral parent training is also a supported intervention, but relatively few attempts have been made to evaluate it when integrated into school environments. A comprehensive, integrated approach for treating ADHD in school settings across universal, targeted, and indicated tiers is presented, providing an initial outline of a framework for school mental health treatment that could be utilized by school mental health practitioners.