A TREATMENT STUDY ON ADHD CHILDREN: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDICATION, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND COMBINATION OF MEDICATION AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN ADHD CHILDREN’S LEARNING BEHAVIOUR

This study is to identify the effectiveness of different treatment methods in improving ADHD children’s learning behaviour. Four treatment methods which are medication only, occupational only, combination of medication and occupational therapy as well as no treatment, were selected for this study. Successive independent sample design was used and 30 ADHD-I type children aged from 4-6 years old were selected in this research. Conner’s Parent Rating Scale-Revised(s) questionnaire was administered while interviewing the children’s parents by the researcher. The parents were approached twice in eight months time which was the first and the eighth month. Besides, natural observation was done by researcher in different settings where the ADHD children study. The parents’ feedback result indicated significant relationship among the effectiveness of occupational therapy only, medication only and combination treatment towards ADHD children’s learning behaviour. There was no significant relationship for no treatment group with ADHD children’s learning behaviour. Occupational therapy is the most effective treatment for children with ADHD compared to medication only or combination medication and occupational therapy. The result showed that there is significant difference in treatment methods and its effectiveness for ADHD children among medication only, occupational therapy only, combination of medication and occupational therapy and no treatment. Researcher’s observation showed similar differences among the four treatment groups as the parents’ feedbacks. Future research may look into other mediating variables such as diet, learning environment, culture, gender or ethnic factor and social economic status in ADHD children’s learning behaviour. In general, the findings of this research indicated that tailored occupational therapy treatment plan should be encouraged to be used in treating the ADHD children.