TY - JOUR
T1 - Does methylphenidate improve academic performance? A systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Kortekaas-Rijlaarsdam, Anne Fleur
AU - Luman, Marjolein
AU - Sonuga-Barke, Edmund
AU - Oosterlaan, Jaap
PY - 2019/2/4
Y1 - 2019/2/4
N2 - Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD. Previous reviews on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement. Recent literature suggests outcome-domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy. The aims of this study are quantifying methylphenidate effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math, reading, spelling; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements, demographic-, design- and disorder-related variables. PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC and PsycINFO were searched for articles reporting methylphenidate effects on academic productivity and accuracy. Thirty-four studies met entry criteria. Methylphenidate improved math productivity (7.8% increase, p < .001); math accuracy (3.0% increase, p = .001); increased reading speed (SMD.47, p < .001) but not reading accuracy. None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylphenidate efficacy. Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements; qualitative changes limited to math. Clinicians should take this discrepancy into account when prescribing medication for ADHD.
AB - Academic improvement is amongst the most common treatment targets when prescribing stimulants to children with ADHD. Previous reviews on stimulant-related academic improvements are inconclusive and focus on task engagement. Recent literature suggests outcome-domain-specific medication effects that are larger for productivity than for accuracy. The aims of this study are quantifying methylphenidate effects on academic productivity and accuracy for math, reading, spelling; exploring the mediating or moderating effects of symptom improvements, demographic-, design- and disorder-related variables. PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC and PsycINFO were searched for articles reporting methylphenidate effects on academic productivity and accuracy. Thirty-four studies met entry criteria. Methylphenidate improved math productivity (7.8% increase, p < .001); math accuracy (3.0% increase, p = .001); increased reading speed (SMD.47, p < .001) but not reading accuracy. None of the mediators or moderators tested affected methylphenidate efficacy. Academic improvements were small compared to symptom improvements; qualitative changes limited to math. Clinicians should take this discrepancy into account when prescribing medication for ADHD.
KW - ADHD
KW - Academic
KW - Math
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Methylphenidate
KW - Reading
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85040649685&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00787-018-1106-3
DO - 10.1007/s00787-018-1106-3
M3 - Review article
C2 - 29353323
VL - 28
SP - 155
EP - 164
JO - European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
JF - European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
SN - 1018-8827
IS - 2
ER -