A Long-Term Comparison of Two Treatment Regimens for Minimal Brain Dysfunction

An eight-month study compared the effectiveness of drug therapy alone with that of combined drug therapy, educational-group training, and parent-group counseling. The control and experimental groups were each composed of 25 children with minimal brain dysfunction. Treatment effects were rated by the prescribing pediatrician, parents, and teachers. After six weeks, a statistically significant difference in response was noted in only one measure: the prescribing physician's rating. By the end of the eight months, no differences in responses were seen between the two groups. Physician and parent ratings showed highly significant gains over the eight months of treatment for most of the 50 children, all of whom were receiving drugs. The apparent benefits of adjunctive therapy for children with minimal brain dysfunction may represent a transitory response to intervention.