Understanding ADHD in Children: Assessment, Executive Function, and School-Based Supports
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can significantly influence children’s academic performance, behavioral regulation, executive functioning, and social experiences in school. Psychologists working in schools play an important role in understanding these challenges and supporting evidence-based educational decision-making.
This research-based continuing education course examines ADHD-related difficulties in educational settings, approaches to assessment and interpretation, and the effectiveness of school-based interventions. Participants will evaluate findings from a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and apply the evidence to practical student support decisions.
- 2 CE Credits
- FREE Course Cost
- 4 Lessons
- Online Self-Paced
Course overview
This 2-credit independent-study course is designed for psychologists working in schools, educational psychologists, and other professionals involved in supporting children with ADHD.
Using a 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based randomized controlled trials, participants will examine how intervention research can inform decisions about attention, behavioral functioning, academic skills, and social outcomes.
Emphasis is placed on interpreting research findings, recognizing individual differences in student needs, considering executive functioning and assessment information, and identifying defensible approaches to school-based intervention planning.
What you’ll be able to do
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify common ADHD-related difficulties and describe their potential effects on academic, behavioral, and social functioning in educational settings.
- Analyze assessment information and differential considerations relevant to understanding ADHD-related school difficulties and executive functioning needs.
- Evaluate findings from randomized controlled trials examining school-based interventions for children with ADHD.
- Interpret research outcomes related to attention, academic performance, behavioral regulation, and social functioning.
- Apply research findings to select individualized school-based supports, develop intervention recommendations, and identify appropriate progress-monitoring procedures.
Course lessons
Every lesson is open to preview. Enroll (free) to take the final assessment and earn your certificate.
Required reading
This course is based on one open-access, peer-reviewed research publication. The reading is available at no cost.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates research on school-based interventions for children with ADHD, providing evidence relevant to attention, behavioral functioning, academic outcomes, and social skills.
Format and requirements
The instructional time for this course was determined using the Mergener formula for text-based independent study. The calculation incorporates assigned reading and instructional content, learner-response items, assessment questions, and instructional difficulty.
The documented course design supports the award of 2.0 continuing education hours.
Your instructor
Jaime Flowers, Ph.D., NCSP, LEP, BCBA
Child & School Psychology CE
Course content is intended for professional continuing education and does not replace individualized clinical judgment, applicable professional standards, or local educational policies and procedures.
CE Program Information & Disclosures
- Instructional level: Intermediate
- Target audience: Psychologists, school psychologists, and other professionals who work with children, adolescents, families, and schools.
- Format and schedule: Asynchronous, self-paced online home study. No live sessions; complete the course at any time during your access period.
- Access period: 1 year from enrollment.
- Cost and refunds: This course is offered free of charge.
- Instructor / content developer: Jaime Flowers, Ph.D., NCSP, LEP, BCBA
- Conflict of interest: Dr. Flowers is the owner of Child & School Psychology CE and receives revenue from sales of other courses on this site; this course is free. No other relevant financial or nonfinancial relationships are reported.
- Commercial support: This program receives no commercial support.
- Accessibility: Need an accommodation? See our Accessibility & Accommodations page.
- Questions or complaints: See our CE Complaint & Grievance Procedure.
Limitations and Risks
Limitations of the content. The meta-analysis at the center of this course pooled 22 randomized trials published between 1980 and 2024 and found small-to-moderate effects on inattention, academic performance, social skills, and externalizing problems, with no significant effect on hyperactivity/impulsivity. Heterogeneity was substantial, there were signs of publication and reporter bias, many trials had a high risk of bias, and few reported follow-up outcomes. Effects were stronger in primary than secondary schools, and findings may not generalize to all age groups, school systems, or students with co-occurring conditions.
Risks. Over-reliance on teacher rating scales and executive-function measures can lead to over- or under-identification of ADHD, especially when symptoms reflect other causes such as anxiety, trauma, language differences, learning disabilities, sleep problems, or instructional mismatch. School-based practitioners should not imply a medical diagnosis or make medication recommendations outside their scope of practice. Selecting interventions based on average effect sizes without monitoring an individual student's response risks continuing supports that are not working for that student.
References
Primary reading
- Yegencik, B., Bell, B. T., & Deniz, E. (2025). School-based randomized controlled trials for ADHD and accompanying impairments: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1611145. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1611145
Supporting references
- Fabiano, G. A., Schatz, N. K., Aloe, A. M., Pelham, W. E., Jr., Smyth, A. C., Zhao, X., Merrill, B. M., Macphee, F., Ramos, M., Hong, N., Altszuler, A., Ward, L., Rodgers, D. B., Liu, Z., Karatoprak Ersen, R., & Coxe, S. (2021). Comprehensive meta-analysis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder psychosocial treatments investigated within between group studies. Review of Educational Research, 91(5), 718–760. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211025092
- Staff, A. I., Oosterlaan, J., van der Oord, S., Hoekstra, P. J., Vertessen, K., de Vries, R., van den Hoofdakker, B. J., & Luman, M. (2021). The validity of teacher rating scales for the assessment of ADHD symptoms in the classroom: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25(11), 1578–1593. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054720916839
- Wolraich, M. L., Hagan, J. F., Jr., Allan, C., Chan, E., Davison, D., Earls, M., Evans, S. W., Flinn, S. K., Froehlich, T., Frost, J., Holbrook, J. R., Lehmann, C. U., Lessin, H. R., Okechukwu, K., Pierce, K. L., Winner, J. D., Zurhellen, W., & Subcommittee on Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 144(4), Article e20192528. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2528