The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Research Laboratory

Deborah A. Pearson, Ph.D., Director
Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, Medical School

The CHDR Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Research Laboratory specializes in research and treatment of cognitive and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with ADHD and related disorders (e.g., conduct disorders). Past research has included studies of:

• Development of auditory and visual selective attention in ADHD
• Covert visual orienting in ADHD
• The nature of attention deficits in children with Mental Retardation and ADHD
• Medication treatment of attention deficits in ADHD
• Medication treatment of aggressive tendencies in disruptive behavior disorders
• Psychological assessment of children with Mental Retardation (MR) and ADHD
• Methodologies used to assess medication treatment response in ADHD
• Comorbid behavioral and emotional problems in children with MR and ADHD
• Adaptive behavior in ADHD

For more information about our attention and medication treatment study, please see our page on Attention Study for Children with Mental Retardation and ADHD. We are also exploring the use of neuroimaging techniques to predict which children with ADHD can be most effectively treated by certain medication treatment. For more information about our neuroimaging study, please see our page on Neuroimaging in ADHD.

Below is a partial listing of published papers from the UT-CHDR Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Research Laboratory:

Pearson, D.A., Lane, D.M., Santos, C.W.,  Casat, C.D., Loveland, K.A., Faria, L.P., Mansour, R., Henderson, J.A., Payne, C.D., Roache, J.D., Lachar, D., and Cleveland, L.A. (2004). Effects of methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD/MR: Individual variation in medication response. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43: 685-699.

Pearson, D.A., Lane, D.M., Santos, C.W., Casat, C.D., Jerger, S.W., Loveland, K.A., Faria, L.P., Mansour, R., Henderson, B.A., Payne, C.D., Roache, J., Lachar, D., & Cleveland, L.A. (2004).  Effects of methylphenidate treatment in children with mental retardation and ADHD: Individual variation in  medication response.  Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 686-698.

Pearson, D.A., Santos, C.W., Jerger, S.W., Casat, C.D., Roache, J., Loveland, K.A., Lane, D.M. Lachar, D., Faria, L.P., and Getchell, C. (2004). Treatment effects of methylphenidate on cognitive functioning in children with mental retardation and ADHD. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43: 677-685.

Pearson, D.A. (2003). "Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder: Interview, commentary, and review of syndrome." In D. M. Lane (Ed.), A Multimediat Textbook in Behavioral Neuroscience. Web-based textbook sponsored by the National Science Foundation, http://psych.rice.edu/mmtbn/, (Contents menu: "Attention and Perception: Attention Deficit Disorder").

Casat, C.D., Pearson, D.A., & Casat, J.P. (2001). “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” In B. Vance & A.J. Pumariega (Eds.), Clinical Assessment of Children and Youth Behavior. New York: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 263-306.

Casat, C.D., & Pearson, D.A. ( 2001). “The mental status exam in child and adolescent evaluation.” In B. Vance & A.J. Pumariega (Eds.), Clinical Assessment of Children and Youth Behavior. New York: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 86-97.

Pearson, D.A., McGrath, N.M., Nozyce, M., Nichols, S.L., Raskino, C., Brouwers, P., Lifschitz, M.C., Baker, C.J., & Englund, J.A. (2001). Predicting HIV disease progression in children using measures of neuropsychological and neurological functioning. Pediatrics , 106, e76, 2000.

Pearson, D.A., Lachar, D., Loveland, K.A., Santos, C.W., Faria, L.P., Azzam, P.N., Hentges, B.A., & Cleveland, L.A. (2000). Patterns of behavioral adjustment and maladjustment in mental retardation: A comparison of children with and without ADHD. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 105, 236-251.

Raskino, C., Pearson, D.A., Baker, C.J., Lifschitz, M.H., O'Donnell, K., Mintz, M., Nozyce, M., Brouwers, P., McKinney, R.E., Jimenez, E., Englund, J.A., and the ACTG 152 Study Team (1999). Neurological, neurocognitive and brain growth outcomes in HIV-infected children receiving different nucleoside antiretroviral regimens. Pediatrics, 104, e32.

Jerger, S., Pearson, D.A., & Spence, M.J. (1999). Developmental course of auditory processing interactions: Garner interference and Simon interference. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 74, 44-67.

Aman, M.G., & Pearson, D.A. (1999). "Monitoring and measuring drug effects. II. Behavioral, emotional, and cognitive effects." In J.S. Werry and M.G. Aman (Eds.), Practitioner's Guide to Psychoactive Drugs for Children and Adolescents. New York: Plenum Press, pp. 99-164.

Arnold, L. E., Gadow, K., Pearson, D.A., & Varley, C.K. (1998). "Stimulants in patients with mental retardation." In S. Reiss & M.G. Aman (Eds.), Psychoactive medications and Developmental Disabilities: The International Consensus Handbook. Columbus, Oh: The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, pp. 229-257.

Pearson, D.A., Norton, A.M., & Farwell, E.C. (1997). ADHD in mental retardation: Nature of attention deficits. In J.T. Enns & J. Burack (Eds.), Attention, development, and psychopathology. New York: The Guilford Press, pp. 205-229.

Spiga, R., Pearson, D.A., & Broitman, M. (1996). Effects of methylphenidate on cooperative responding in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 4, 451-458.

Pearson, D.A., Santos, C.W., Roache, J.D., Loveland, K.A., Casat, C.D., Farwell, E.C., Roebuck, T.M., & Lachar, D., (1996). Effects of methylphenidate on behavioral adjustment in children with mental retardation and ADHD: Preliminary findings from a study in progress. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 8, 313-333.

Pearson, D.A., Yaffee, L.S., Loveland, K.A., & Lewis, K.R. (1996). A comparison of sustained and selective attention in children who have mental retardation with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 100, 592-607.

Pearson, D.A., Yaffee, L.S., Loveland, K.A., & Norton, A. (1995). Covert visual attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Evidence for developmental immaturity? Development and Psychopathology, 7, 351-367.

Jerger, S., Martin, R., Pearson, D.A., Dinh, T. (1995). Childhood hearing impairment: Auditory and linguistic interactions during multidimensional speech processing. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 38, 930-948.

Casat, C., Pearson, D.A., Taft, M.J., & Cherek, D. (1995). Methylphenidate effects on a lab aggression paradigm in ADHD children. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 31, 351-354.

Pearson, D.A., & Lachar, D. (1994). Using behavioral questionnaires to predict adaptive deficits in elementary school children. Journal of School Psychology, 32, 33-52.

Pearson, D.A., & Aman, M.G. (1994). Ratings of hyperactivity and developmental indices: Should clinicians correct for developmental level? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 395-411.

Casat, C.D., Pearson, D.A., Ruiz-Nazario, J., & Rhoades, H. (1994). Serial dexamethasone suppression tests (DST) in recently hospitalized children. Biological Psychiatry, 36, 203-205.

Pearson, D.A. (1993). Dual diagnosis in children: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Southwest Quarterly Review, 1, 1-3.

Pearson, D.A., Lane, D.M., & Swanson, J.M. (1991). Auditory attention switching in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 19, 479-492.

Pearson, D.A., & Lane, D.M. (1990). Reorientation in hyperactive and non-hyperactive children: Evidence for developmentally immature attention? In J.T. Enns (Ed.), Advances in Psychology, Vol. 69. The Development of Attention: Research and Theory, pp. 345-363. Amsterdam: Elsevier.