Neuropsychol Rev (2007) 17:73–89 DOI 10.1007/s11065-006-9018-2 ORIGINAL PAPER Psychosocial Treatments for Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Brian P. Daly · Torrey Creed · Melissa Xanthopoulos · Ronald T. Brown Received: 30 November 2006 / Accepted: 30 November 2006 / Published online: 27 January 2007 C  Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007 Abstract This article reviews studies examining the ef- ficacy of behavioral interventions for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A specific emphasis is placed on evidence-based interventions that in- clude parent training, classroom, academic, and peer interve- ntions. Results indicate that school-aged children respond to behavioral interventions when they are appropriately imple- mented both at home and in the classroom setting. Combined treatments (behavioral management and stimulant medica- tion) represent the gold standard in ADHD treatment and are often recommended as the first-line treatment option due to the many problems faced by children with ADHD. Diversity issues, although an important consideration in the treatment of ADHD, continue to remain an understudied area. Rec- ommendations for future research are made pertaining to treatment sequencing with regard to behavior management as well as for subgroups of ADHD children who may respond best to specific treatments. Keywords ADHD . Behavior therapy . Parent training ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a neu- robehavioral disorder that may impede a child’s capacity to sustain attention and effort, and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition in behavioral settings or on cognitive tasks. The syndrome is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of symptoms that may include, but are not limited to, inattention; failure to follow instructions; inability to orga- nize oneself and school work; fidgeting with hands and feet; talking too much; staying on task; leaving projects, chores, B. P. Daly () · T. Creed · M. Xanthopoulos · R. T. Brown Department of Public Health, Temple University, 3307 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA e-mail: brian.daly@temple.edu and homework unfinished; and having trouble paying at- tention to and responding to details (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral dis- order of childhood and is estimated to affect approximately 5% of the school-age children in the United States (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), with a male to female ratio ranging between 2:1 to 6:1 (Biederman, Lopez, Boellner, & Chandler, 2002). Although the course of ADHD may vary from individual to individual, research indicates that it is a chronic disorder in which cognitive and behavioral mani- festations typically emerge during the childhood years, and consequently place children and adolescents at higher than average risk for academic, behavioral, and social difficulties. For example, despite some of the most intensive treatment ef- forts for the disorder, most children with ADHD (over 80%) still continue to evidence symptoms of the disorder at ado- lescence (Barkley, Fisher, Edelbrock, & Smallish, 1990) and even adulthood (Ingram, Hechtman, & Morgenstern, 1999). This article will briefly review those limitations associated with pharmacological management for ADHD in children. Next, we examine the effectiveness of the most widely em- ployed and accepted behavioral treatment approaches (parent training, classroom interventions, academic interventions, and peer interventions) for this population. A brief review of the limitations associated with psychosocial treatments also are examined. Findings from studies that have em- ployed combined or multimodal treatment approaches are re- viewed. Subsequently, we review the evidence for alternative treatment approaches (metacognitive therapy, biofeedback, and neurofeedback) for children with ADHD. We also dis- cuss diversity issues as they pertain to employing psychoso- cial treatments for children with ADHD and their families. Finally, we make specific recommendations for future re- search in this area. Springer