Prompting, Self-Management, and ADHD
Do Prompting & The Development of Self-Regulation Yield Better Classroom Results Than Other ADHD Accommodations
Can strategically prompting students and teaching them self-management / self-regulation strategies reduce disruptive behaviours and increase classroom engagement in students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) more effectively than do allowing frequent breaks or the use of sensory items? According to the authors of a small study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, the answer is YES.
The study found that prompting students with ADHD (e.g., redirecting them back to task) and teaching them strategies to independently regulate their behaviours (self-management / self-regulation) decreased disruptive behaviours and task initiation time and increased task engagement more than implementing popular classroom strategies such as breaks or use of sensory items (e.g., fidget spinners).
According to the study’s authors, prompting, taking breaks, and sensory proprioception are widespread accommodations used for students with ADHD. The first two often appear as part of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). On the other hand, self-management / self-regulation strategies are frequently recommended interventions that are not typically found in IEPs. The authors of the study noted that research supporting specific practices over others is lacking, and such research could inform educators to create more effective IEPs.
The researchers evaluated the efficacy of prompting, teaching self-management / self-regulation, encouraging sensory proprioception, and taking breaks in 15 middle schoolers.
Students in the study were randomly assigned to one of the following four strategy groups in each of the twenty sessions.
Prompting condition: Researchers pointed to the task or told a student to continue working if they went off-task for five seconds or more.
Self-management condition: Students checked “yes” on a paper form if they stayed on task for five minutes (indicated by a timer alarm) or “no” if they were off task when they heard the timer ring.
Sensory proprioception: Students selected a sensory item (e.g., fidget toy, stress ball, etc.) to use throughout the task.
Breaks: Students took a five-minute break after working for ten minutes.
Their data analysis showed that prompting and self-management / self-regulation strategies delivered the most desirable outcomes in student behaviour and engagement, while sensory proprioception resulted in minor or no desired effects.
However, the researchers noted that participants were not happy about prompting or self-management, viewing the former as “annoying” and the latter as “distracting” (even though it encouraged them to pay attention to their work).
According to the authors, the effectiveness of self-management aligns with recent research indicating that teaching students with ADHD how to independently manage their behaviour is more effective than implementing strategies such as allowing extra time on tasks or distributing a copy of the teacher’s notes.
The findings of this study also build on research supporting prioritizing classroom interventions for students with ADHD above accommodations. They also mirror my own work on Self-Regulation Strategy Development interventions as a method to improve reading comprehension (journal paper in review).
As usual, the study is behind a paywall. But, there are a few institutional options to gain access. Or, you can locate and contact the authors directly. Most researchers (myself included) will share a copy of their papers with those who inquire.
— December 16, 2023 Note —
Some of the materials herein have made it into my latest book, Holistic Language Instruction. It will be out in 2024 from Lived Places Publishing and available at major book retailers worldwide.