Why the research is needed
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects around 3-5% of children and young people. Symptoms include difficulties with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. To improve symptoms and reduce long-term difficulties, it is really important to provide early treatment.
What is already known about the subject
Once a child/young person starts treatment, clinicians need to check symptoms frequently to make sure the treatment is working well. However, research suggests that this isn’t always done. This may mean that people with ADHD are not receiving the best medication and dose for them. Little is known about how this affects the child or young person and their parents, or what doctors think should be done to help.
Who we will be working with
Healthcare professionals, commissioners, providers and service users.
How patients and the public are involved
We will involve the people impacted by this research, throughout. Parents/carers and children and young people affected by ADHD will help to develop what we ask in interviews and the materials we use to recruit people. Their input will include how we approach the study, how we make sense of what we find out, and how we then communicate this to the people that matter.
We are building on our previous work where we engaged with ADHD families to gather their views on using technology for medication monitoring. By involving patients and the public, we will make sure that the needs and concerns of children and young people, and their parents/carers remain at the centre of all we do.
What we will do
We will explore how different groups experience monitoring of ADHD medication, by interviewing children and young people with ADHD and their parents/carers, as well as healthcare professionals working in ADHD services. This will also help us understand whether clinical guidelines for medication monitoring are currently being followed. We will also plan to identify ways in which digital technology can support this process, providing examples of available technologies where possible. This will be based on the findings from the interviews.
What the benefits will be
We will use the results of this study to develop recommendations for how technology might help monitor medication outcomes in ADHD. These recommendations will be shared with clinicians, service managers and commissioners, informing the services that people receive. We will communicate our research to young people with lived experience of ADHD, their parents/carers and ADHD charities.
When the findings will be available
The findings will be available in March 2026.
How we are planning for implementation
We plan to translate the findings of the study into actionable insights for key stakeholders. This will include academic publications, conference presentations and infographics. We will also link with our established network of healthcare professionals to outline key recommendations for improving practice.
Contact
Dr James Roe, Research Fellow, University of Nottingham, James.Roe@nottingham.ac.uk.