Date of this Version

11-16-2024

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered the most diagnosed behavioral disorder in childhood, often lasting into adulthood. It is an impairing behavioral health condition, affecting approximately 5% of children and 5% of adults nationwide (Baweja & Waxmonsky, 2021). Unfortunately, many issues contribute to preventing individuals with ADHD from receiving quality care. Barriers to care include patient need for proper education, misconceptions and stigma surrounding an ADHD diagnosis, and constraints with management and treatment of the disorder – all of which are significantly due to the need for overall better knowledge among providers on ADHD evaluation, diagnosis, and management.

This quality improvement project sought to determine the impact of an educational intervention on improving the knowledge and skill regarding the assessment and treatment of children and adults with ADHD by mental healthcare providers. The PICO question guiding the project development was: Among mental healthcare providers in an outpatient clinic, does an education program regarding the assessment and treatment of ADHD improve providers’ knowledge and skill regarding the diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD in children and adults, when comparing pre and post-test scores? To properly answer this question, a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test study was conducted based on a sample of 15 mental healthcare providers affiliated with a mental health clinic in South Florida. Findings from this quality improvement project indicated statistically significant changes in scores, further highlighting the significance of ADHD education in improving the knowledge and skills of mental healthcare providers. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, professional and continuing education, and ongoing research in improving the quality of care offered to children and adults with ADHD.

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