Treating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: What Every Clinician Needs to Know

by Russell A. Barkley

From foremost authority Russell A. Barkley, this book presents essential principles and practices for managing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and teens. Barkley interweaves the best scientific knowledge with lessons learned from decades of clinical practice and research. He provides guidelines and clinical tips for conducting thorough, accurate assessments and developing and implementing science-based treatment plans. The book is grounded in Barkley's theory of ADHD as a disorder of executive functioning and self-regulation. Ways to collaborate successfully with parents and other professionals are highlighted throughout. In a convenient large-size format, the volume includes 45 reproducible handouts and forms that can be downloaded and printed for repeated use.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2022

About the author

Russell A. Barkley (born 1949) is a clinical psychologist who is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina and an author of books on ADHD. Involved in research since 1973 and a licensed psychologist since 1977, he is an expert on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has devoted much of his scientific career to studying ADHD and related problems in children. His research interests include childhood defiance.

Reviews

[Lisa Boland]

I’m writing this review partly as a record of my ongoing CPD but also for other practitioners considering buying/reading. I will add/change this review as I continue through the book.

I am a big fan of Barkley’s theoretical framework of ADHD. This particular text is excellent in explaining the broad nature of executive functioning differences and how these play out in ADHD. Especially useful for diagnosticians looking for nuance that expands beyond the woefully outdated DSM 5 criteria. This has changed how I assess and made me a much more thorough and critical assessor.

Barkley continually emphasises that ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, screens or any other such social factor and this is something we need constant reminding of, I thank him for that.

The information on medication is excellent especially for clinicians who are not prescribers but want to be knowledgeable.

Unfortunately, this book is not at all Neuroaffirming which is the first thing an NDaffirming practitioner will notice upon picking it up - it is glaringly obvious and thus much of the advise therefore must be taken with a healthy grain of salt and be adapted accordingly. The behavioural methods in particular are quite out of date.

What I don’t like is Barkley’s not-quite-evidence-based promotion of his own parenting/behavioural/social skills programs. He outlines the lack of evidence and potential evidence of harm before going ahead and recommend we use them anyway - best to skip these if you want your interventions to be affirming and up to date.

Finally, some advice is wonderful but desperately out of touch with the real world. Particular with regards to schools, how resourced they can be in managing ADHD and even parent choice/control of the child’s teacher - none of this is realistic in my experience.

Overall (so far) an excellent framework in understanding the development and presentation of ADHD but out of date, non affirming management strategies.

[Kieran Rooney]

A star rating feels inappropriate. This is a turgid textbook that treats ADHD from a medical model. It is equally informative and disheartening. Dr. Barkley comes across as callous at times. Still, I appreciate the EF-SR model. I just wish the book had a better title; mental health counselors are often referred to as “clinicians,” yet this book is obviously geared towards those who can diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD.