Methods for measuring student response to stimulant medication: A meta-analytic review

Measuring student response to interventions has become an important role for school psychologists. Children with Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are frequently treated with stimulant medication, but the response to the treatment is rarely adequately assessed. The current study examined the sensitivity of measures used to assess the outcomes of stimulant medication for children identified with ADHD using meta‐analytic procedures. A total of 812 articles were reviewed with 35 being selected for the study based on a common treatment protocol of .3 to .5 mg/kg with a 2‐ to 8‐week pre‐ and post‐test interval. Measures were categorized as behavioral, psychological, or physiological. A total of 81 effect sizes were computed with a total unbiased estimate of effect of .53 and unbiased estimates of effect of .11 for physiological measures, .38 for psychological measures, and .56 for behavioral measures. Tests of homogeneity found nonsignificant results within each of the three categories. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.