Developmental changes in the mother-child interactions of hyperactive boys: effects of two dose levels of Ritalin.

The mother-child interactions of 60 hyperactive children subdivided equally into five age levels (years 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) were studied during free play and task periods in a double-blind drug-placebo evaluation of two dose levels of Ritalin (0.3 and 0.7 mg/kg bid.) on these interactions. No effects for age or drug condition were found during free play. In contrast, age effects were significant in the task period with the children increasing their compliance and sustained attention with age. In response, mothers decreased their direction and control while increasing their passive observation of the children. Several drug effects were found during the task period, indicating that only the high dose of Ritalin produced improvements in child compliance. However, both doses resulted in decreases in mothers' controlling reactions to the child's compliance and off-task behavior as well as in ratings of home behavior problems. Drug effects were essentially the same across all five age levels. The interaction patterns of hyperactive children are similar to those found in younger normal children in previous research, apparently reflecting a chronic lag in this pattern in hyperactive children that may be improved with stimulant medication.