Eric.ed.gov – WWC Review of the Report “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Special Education Programming for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using a Daily Report Card”

The study described in this report examined whether the use of “daily report cards” (“DRCs”) in elementary school classrooms improved behavior and academic achievement among students diagnosed with combined inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder. Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in grades 1-6 were recruited for the study and tested for ADHD to determine eligibility. Following an intake process that determined diagnosis and eligibility, a total of 63 students, each with a unique teacher, were randomly assigned either to the intervention condition (n = 33) or to the comparison condition (n = 30). The study assessed the effectiveness of “DRCs” by comparing behavioral and academic outcomes for the intervention and comparison groups at the conclusion of the academic year. At posttest, there were statistically significant positive differences between the intervention and comparison groups on three of the four measures in the external behavior domain. The average effect size for the behavior domain was 0.35. The study found no statistically significant or substantively important differences in two other domains: (1) reading achievement/literacy, and (2) math achievement. The research described in this report meets the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards without reservations. Appended are: (1) Study details; (2) Outcome measures for each domain; and (3) Study findings for each domain. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 1 endnote.) [The following study is the focus of this “Quick Review”: “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Special Education Programming for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using a Daily Report Card” (EJ891850).]