Prescription Medications

ADHD Treatment Improves Teens' Grades, Confidence

The online survey -- which included 268 parents of 14-to-18-year-olds with ADHD and another 265 teens diagnosed with the disorder -- was funded by McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals. The parents and teens were recruited independently and were not matched pairs from the same families.

Sixty-six percent of the parents said their teens were currently receiving treatment for ADHD, while 61 percent of the teens in the survey said they were currently receiving treatment, which included medication, counseling and/or behavior therapy, and school services.

According to the survey, 56 percent of the teens said their school grades improved after they began receiving treatment. Both teens and the parents of the teens with ADHD also reported seeing improvements in self-esteem, social relationships and enhanced participation in extracurricular activities.