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Objective Versus Subjective Assessment of Methylphenidate Response

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Abstract

Subjective improvement-assessment in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), following a single dose of methylphenidate (MPH) was compared to performance on the Test-of-Variables-of-Attention (TOVA). Self-perception was assessed with the clinical-global-impression-of-change (CGI-C). Participants included 165 ADHD subjects (M:F ratio 67%:33%) aged 5–18 (11.09 ± 3.43) years. TOVA was administered before and after MPH challenge (0.3 mg/kg). Self-perception CGI-C scores were compared to the TOVA scores. An inverse correlation was found only between CGI-C and the TOVA-Commission-scores (r = −0.326, p < 0.001). We thus conclude that subjective reports are too unreliable to be used in order to assess MPH benefit in ADHD pediatric populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ADHD Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 102, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel

    Iris Manor & Sheera Meidad

  2. The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Iris Manor, Gil Zalsman, Sam Tyano & Abraham Weizman

  3. Child and Adolescent Division, Geha Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 102, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel

    Gil Zalsman

  4. Geha Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 102, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel

    Zvi Zemishlany

  5. Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 102, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel

    Abraham Weizman

  6. Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Beilinson Campus, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Abraham Weizman

Authors
  1. Iris Manor
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  2. Sheera Meidad
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  3. Gil Zalsman
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  4. Zvi Zemishlany
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  5. Sam Tyano
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  6. Abraham Weizman
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Correspondence to Iris Manor.

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Manor, I., Meidad, S., Zalsman, G. et al. Objective Versus Subjective Assessment of Methylphenidate Response. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 39, 273–282 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-007-0087-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-007-0087-0

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