Information from The ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples Seminar

“Effect Size” is a number used in research to measure the effectiveness of a given medication or treatment.  An effect size of 1.0 is considered a “robust therapeutic response.”  The higher the effect size, the more impact a give treatment has on managing ADHD symptoms.

Effect Sizes from Various Research Studies

Stimulants in optimized dose trials: effect size = 2.2 (trials in which doctors determined the most effective dose for that particular research subject)

Alpha agonists: 1.3

Vyvanse:  1.28

Stimulants in blind clinical trials: 0.95 (trials where dose was standardized)

Mydayis:  .67 - 1.1 (dep. on dose)

Aerobic exercise: .56 - .84 (depending upon which symptom you are addressing)

Fish oil: 0.59 (at 3,000 mg in research with children)

Strattera: 0.44

Wellbutin:  .34

Fiengold diet (kids): 0.29 (INCA study results higher, but likely incorrect, see diet study referenced in online treatment guide for more details)

Zoloft: 0.25 (for ADHD only)

Remove artificial colors from diet (kids): 0.21