ADHD Medications Don’t Appear to Help Children With Homework: Study

Giving children stimulant medication meant to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has no significant effect on homework completion or accuracy, a new small study suggests.

The study, published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, included 75 children with ADHD who were attending a summer school program. The children received either behavioral treatment with daily report cards and parent coaching, or a long-acting stimulant, Reuters reports.

Children who received behavioral treatment got 10 to 13 percent more homework problems finished, and completed 8 percent more problems accurately, compared with children who did not receive the treatment. The authors said this translates into the difference between getting an average grade of C with behavioral help, compared with an average grade of F without such help.