Caffeine as an Independent Variable in Behavioral Research: Trends from the Literature Specific to ADHD

Caffeine's therapeutic effects have been widely investigated; it has been featured as an important independent variable in psychopharmacological research and has been regarded as a promising addition to the class of stimulant medications. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the common diagnoses targeted by caffeine researchers. A review of the research methodology applied to understanding the effects of caffeine on ADHD is presented here. This provides researchers with methodological options for investigating the effects of caffeine on other disorders. The focus of this review is not in evaluating the effectiveness of caffeine on ADHD, but rather to describe the experimental methods from which those results were derived. This review will highlight methodology, including participants, preparation of caffeine, dose, methods of administration, dependent measures, and various experimental designs employed.