STELLAR - Interventions for English Language Learners At-Risk for ADHD

The purpose of this study it to examine the efficacy of language, behavior, or a combination of language and behavioral interventions for students classified as English language learners (ELLs) who are also at-risk for ADHD. Although there is substantial support for language development and reading interventions to aid young children in the acquisition of language skills, there is a significant lack of research addressing interventions for ELLs with disabilities of any type, particularly for ELLs with behavior disorders such as ADHD. This study addresses this gap by comparing the efficacy of language intervention alone, behavioral intervention alone, and a combined language and behavior intervention on student language and behavior outcomes.

This project is expected to take place from May 2022 to July 2026. Over the next three years, approximately 300 students are expected to participate. Participant criteria include being identified as an ELL level 1 through 4 by their school district, enrolled in kindergarten or 1st grade during the year of participation, having 6 or more symptoms of ADHD that are endorsed by a parent or teacher, having a teacher who is willing to participate and has a parent or a primary caregiver who is willing to participate. This project will involve three intervention conditions: 1) an educational language intervention involving small-group, interactive reading emphasizing dialogic reading as well as expressive and receptive syntax; 2) a behavioral classroom intervention in which a behavioral consultant will support parents and teachers in the implementation of a daily report card (DRC); and 3) a combined intervention in which students receive both the language intervention and the behavioral classroom intervention. Participants will be assessed three times throughout the school year; once before intervention (Pre-test), once in the middle of the school year (Midtest), and once at the end of the school year (Post-test).

Coinciding with assessment, there are four rounds of classroom and fidelity observations.