Cited by 1,182Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentBehavioral and Psychological Studies

The MTA at 8 years: prospective follow-up of children treated for combined-type ADHD in a multisite study

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Molina, Brooke S.G., Hinshaw, Stephen P., Swanson, James M., Arnold, L. Eugene, Vitiello, Benedetto, Jensen, Peter S., Epstein, Jeffery N., Hoza, Betsy +10 more·2009·Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Abstract

Objectives To determine any long-term effects, 6 and 8 years after childhood enrollment, of the randomly assigned 14-month treatments in the NIMH Collaborative Multisite Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA; N = 436); to test whether attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom trajectory through 3 years predicts outcome in subsequent years; and to examine functioning level of the MTA adolescents relative to their non-ADHD peers (local normative comparison group; N = 261).Method Mixed-effects regression models with planned contrasts at 6 and 8 years tested a wide range of symptom and impairment variables assessed by parent, teacher, and youth report.Results In nearly every analysis, the originally randomized treatment groups did not differ significantly on repeated measures or newly analyzed variables (e.g., grades earned in school, arrests, psychiatric hospitalizations, other clinically relevant outcomes). Medication use decreased by 62% after the 14-month controlled trial, but adjusting for this did not change the results. ADHD symptom trajectory in the first 3 years predicted 55% of the outcomes. The MTA participants fared worse than the local normative comparison group on 91% of the variables tested.Conclusions Type or intensity of 14 months of treatment for ADHD in childhood (at age 7.0-9.9 years) does not predict functioning 6 to 8 years later. Rather, early ADHD symptom trajectory regardless of treatment type is prognostic. This finding implies that children with behavioral and sociodemographic advantage, with the best response to any treatment, will have the best long-term prognosis. As a group, however, despite initial symptom improvement during treatment that is largely maintained after treatment, children with combined-type ADHD exhibit significant impairment in adolescence. Innovative treatment approaches targeting specific areas of adolescent impairment are needed.

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  • Long-term follow-up studies suggest that hyperactive and impulsive behaviors tend to decrease with age, while inattentive symptoms show greater persistence and may stay life-long.

    “Long-term follow-up studies suggest that hyperactive and impulsive behaviors tend to decrease with age, while inattentive symptoms show greater persistence and may stay life-long (Biederman et al., 2000; Molina et al., 2009).”

    From A Review of Heterogeneity in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (2019) · cites this paper as Molina et al., 2009

    The Discussion reports a decrease in parent- and teacher-rated hyperactivity and impulsivity through adolescence. It also says ADHD symptom scores remained higher than classmates’, but does not establish that inattention persists more than hyperactivity or that it may last a lifetime; the follow-up ended in adolescence. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Potential longer-term efficacy could be the real advantage of tDCS over stimulant medication, whose effects are discontinued with discontinued drug administration and appear to wane in long-term continuous administration, presumably due to brain adaptation to the drug.

    “potential longer-term efficacy could be the real advantage of tDCS over stimulant medication where effects are discontinued with discontinued drug administration and where effects appear to even wane in long-term continuous administration (Molina et al., 2009), presumably due to brain adaptation to the drug (Fusar-Poli et al., 2012).”

    From Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Its Clinical Translation (2018) · cites this paper as Molina et al., 2009

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • Such delayed consolidation effects reinforce the notion that brain self-regulation via NF affects neuroplasticity and may hence have unique longer-term efficacy compared to stimulant medication which does not affect neuroplasticity and may even lose efficacy over time, due to potential brain adaptation.

    “Such delayed consolidation effects reinforce the notion that brain self-regulation via NF affects neuroplasticity and may hence have unique longer-term efficacy compared to stimulant medication which does not affect neuroplasticity and may even loose efficacy over time (Molina et al., 2009), due to potential brain adaptation (Fusar-Poli et al., 2012).”

    From Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Its Clinical Translation (2018) · cites this paper as Molina et al., 2009

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • For many individuals, ADHD causes symptoms and dysfunction over long periods of time, even into adulthood.

    “As in the 2 previous guidelines, this recommendation is based on the evidence that for many individuals, ADHD causes symptoms and dysfunction over long periods of time, even into adulthood.”

    From Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Discussion reports that, eight years after childhood treatment, the MTA group still had substantially higher ADHD symptom scores and poorer functioning than former classmates in adolescence. It mentions evidence concerning early adulthood, but this study's follow-up does not establish that its participants' symptoms and dysfunction persisted into adulthood. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In the MTA Study, despite large differences in medication use, there were no appreciable between-group differences in long-term academic achievement in reading or mathematics.

    “Despite this large difference in medication use, there were no appreciable between-group differences in long-term academic achievement in reading or mathematics (Molina et al., 2009).”

    From The effect of stimulant medication on the learning of academic curricula in children with ADHD: A randomized crossover study. (2022) · cites this paper as Molina et al., 2009

    The Results section on 6- and 8-year outcomes reports no significant differences between the originally randomized treatment groups on the outcomes tested, supporting the claim about long-term reading and mathematics achievement. But the Results section on medication use says the large differences between those groups occurred earlier and were no longer significant at 6 or 8 years. The paper also reports a positive association between continued medication use and math achievement, distinct from the randomized-group comparison. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Molina, B. S. G., Hinshaw, S. P., Swanson, J. M., Arnold, L. E., Vitiello, B., Jensen, P. S., Epstein, J. N., Hoza, B., Hechtman, L., Abikoff, H. B., Elliott, G. R., Greenhill, L. L., Newcorn, J. H., Wells, K. C., Wigal, T., Gibbons, R. D., Hur, K., & Houck, P. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • University of California, Irvine (US)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (US)
  • Duke University (US)
  • Long Island Jewish Medical Center (US)
  • New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
  • University of Illinois Chicago (US)
Corresponding author
Molina, Brooke S.G.
Venue
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-05
Volume
48
Issue
5
Pages
484-500
ISSN
0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2144385879
Cited by
1,182
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 69 · 2019: 79 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 85 · 2016: 108 · 2015: 92 · 2014: 109 · 2013: 76 · 2012: 94
FWCI
53.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • U.S. Department of Justice
  • U.S. Department of Education
  • Abbott Laboratories
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Pfizer
  • Sanofi
  • Purdue University
  • Celgene
  • University of Pittsburgh (HHSN271200800008-C, U01 MH50467, N01MH 12010)
  • McGill University (N01MH12008, HHSN271200800003-C)
  • Purdue Pharma
  • York University
  • National Institutes of Health (n01mh12011-0-0-1, n01mh012009-007, n01mh12008-0-0-1, n01mh12010-0-0-1, n01mh12004-0-0-0, n01mh12007-0-0-0, n01mh012012-001)
  • Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh
  • University of California, Irvine (HHSN271200800006-C, N01MH 12004)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (U01MH50461, N01 MH12007, N01MH-12012, N01 MH012007, U01MH50440, N01MH12008,, U01MH050467, MH-50467, N01 MH012009, U01 MH50477, N01 MH012011, U01MH050447, U01MH050440, N01 MH012012, N01 MH12009, U01MH050453, N01 MH012010, U01MH50467, U01MH050461, N01MH 12004, U01MH50453, N01MH 12010, U01MH050454, N01 MH012004, N01 MH012008)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (HHSN271200800003C, HHSN271200800006C, N01 DA085550, N01 DA085552, HHSN271200800008C, N01 DA085549, HHSN271200800005C, N01 DA085551, N01 DA085548, HHSN271200800007C, HHSN271200800009C, N01 DA085553, N01 DA085554, R01DA012414, HHSN271200800004C)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type ADHD, long-term outcomes, symptom trajectories, prognostic factors, treatment effects, medication use, adolescent functioning, academic performance, arrests, psychiatric hospitalization
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Behavior Therapy, Behavioral Symptoms, Child, Combined Modality Therapy, Community Mental Health Services, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychotropic Drugs, Reference Values, Regression Analysis, Case-Control Studies, Treatment Outcome, Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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