| Description |
Background: ADHD is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that carries significant lifelong risks. Consistent, authoritative parenting plays a crucial role in managing a child's ADHD behaviors and reducing long-term challenges. Effective parenting practices can also improve parental wellbeing. Parent Training in Behavior Management (PTBM) equips parents with the skills to address common behavioral problems and reduce symptoms of ADHD. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ADHD clinical practice guidelines recommend PTBM as a first-line treatment for children aged 4-12. However, clinicians do not consistently prescribe PTBM in clinical practice. Local Problem: Clinicians at an urban Utah pediatric clinic identified the absence of a standardized mechanism for providing PTBM to parents as a gap in comprehensive ADHD care. While many clinicians were familiar with the AAP clinical guidelines, they expressed frustration over the lack of readily accessible PTBM resources. Methods: This project included pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess clinician attitudes and practices regarding PTBM (pre-intervention: N = 28; post-intervention: N = 21). The post-intervention survey also evaluated feasibility, usability, and satisfaction. Parents attending the PTBM workshops completed questionnaires that assessed stress levels, self-efficacy, and feedback on the workshop. Interventions: In this quality improvement initiative, the team developed a pilot PTBM protocol and toolkit for clinicians to offer parents of children with ADHD. The toolkit included a parent pamphlet, a workshop, an informational webpage, and parent coaching. Throughout the pilot phase, the team modified toolkit resources to enhance quality based on clinicians' and parents' feedback and engagement. Results: Post-intervention, clinician satisfaction significantly increased regarding ADHD treatment practices (W = 15, N = 15, p < 0.05) and the availability of resources and support for parents (W = 0, N = 16, p < 0.05). The proportion of clinicians reporting nearly always recommending PTBM increased by 19%. The most frequently cited pre-intervention barrier, "no PTBM protocol at the clinic," was addressed. Conclusion: Implementing a PTBM protocol and toolkit enhanced the quality of ADHD treatment, providing more comprehensive care for parents and families. Access to structured PTBM resources enabled clinicians to support families more effectively, improve patient outcomes, and increase adherence to ADHD clinical treatment guidelines. |
