Additive effects of dexedrine and self-control training. A multiple assessment.
Dexedrine plus self-control training beats either solo shot for on-task behavior in young ADHD students.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers worked with three boys, who had ADHD. Each child tried four conditions in turn: no treatment, Dexedrine only, self-control lessons only, and the drug plus the lessons.
The team measured on-task behavior, teacher hyperactivity ratings, math work, and a computer attention test. They switched the conditions every few days to see which mix helped most.
What they found
The drug-plus-training combo gave the biggest jump in on-task behavior and the sharpest drop in teacher-rated hyperactivity. Either treatment alone helped a little, but together they beat both solo options.
Dexedrine by itself improved scores on the computer attention test. Math and matching tasks only got better when the boys earned points for correct answers.
How this fits with other research
Wang et al. (2024) extends the idea: they added three 60-min play sessions per week and also saw better thinking skills and faster sleep onset. Their RCT shows you can boost executive function without more meds.
Todorov et al. (1984) used a near-identical self-control package and mapped wide generalization—across subjects, settings, and time—suggesting the skills you teach may stick beyond the medicated window.
Bart et al. (2010) looks contradictory at first; they found methylphenidate helped motor skills in only one-third of kids. The difference is they tested a single dose, while F et al. paired daily Dexedrine with daily practice—dose plus rehearsal beats dose alone.
Why it matters
If you run a classroom or clinic for kids with ADHD, think combo, not either-or. Keep the physician-managed stimulant, but layer in brief self-monitoring drills—two-minute self-ratings, point boards, and quick teacher check-ins. You may see faster gains in seatwork focus without raising the milligrams.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add a 5-point self-rating card to the child's desk; have him mark on-task/off-task every 10 min while the med is active.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
The present study reports the use of a single-case experimental design in examining the additive effects of psychostimulant medication (Dexedrine) and self-control training with a 9-year-old psychiatric inpatient diagnosed as hyperactive. Over a 10-week period, Dexedrine was systematically applied and withdrawn during the absence and presence of self-control procedures. Dependent measures included direct behavioral observation, teacher ratings of hyperactivity, laboratory tests of cognitive performance, and academic achievement measures. Results demonstrated that a combination of Dexedrine and self-control training was more effective than either Dexedrine alone or self-control training plus placebo in (1) increasing on-task behavior in the classroom (as measured by direct classroom observations) and (2) decreasing the teacher's reports of hyperactivity and distractability. Results also demonstrated that Dexedrine, but not self-control training, was effective in increasing attention and decreasing impulsive responding as measured by the Continuous Performance Test. However, only direct reinforcement for correct responses was found to improve (1) performance on measures of spelling and math performance and (2) performance on the Matching Familiar Figures Test. Implications for treatment of children with attention deficit disorders are discussed.
Behavior modification, 1983 · doi:10.1177/01454455830073006