Efficacy of teacher in-service training for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evidence many problems in the classroom. Teacher in-service training is routinely used to inform school professionals about a number of special topics; however, the efficacy of such in-service training for ADHD has not been established. The present study examined the efficacy of brief in-service training focused on evidence-based assessment and treatment of ADHD. Teachers from six schools (N = 142) in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area were randomly assigned at the school level to receive in-service training immediately or to a waitlist control group that received in-service training 1 month later. Measures of ADHD knowledge and use of behavior modification techniques were obtained at pre- and post-in-service intervention. Results indicated that the in-service training resulted in increased ADHD knowledge. Special education teachers also reported increased use of behavior modification techniques resulting from the in-service training. Clinical and research implications are presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]