Effects of Stimulant Drugs on Academic Performance in Hyperactive and Learning Disabled Children

Abstract

The effect of stimulant drugs upon academic performance in hyperactive (HA), learning disabled (LD), and hyperactive-learning disabled (HA-LD) children has been a matter of controversy for over a decade. Research on this topic is reviewed with attention to specific academic skills, methodological issues, relative efficacy of drug, educational, and multimodal interventions, and clinical implications. It is concluded that while stimulants may increase academic productivity, (a) the effect on standardized achievement test scores is not particularly robust; (b) individual reaction is quite variable; (c) the clinical implications for adult outcome appears to be minimal; and (d) some behavioral interventions are clearly superior. However, the number of pertinent subject, task, treatment, and setting variables is so great that a definitive answer with regard to the relationship between pharmacotherapy and academic performance is anything but close at hand.