Randomized Controlled Trial of a Peer-Delivered High School Preparatory Intervention for ADHD

OBJECTIVE: The high school transition is a period of academic and socioemotional vulnerability for adolescents with ADHD. Standard high school interventions for ADHD typically demonstrate access and engagement challenges. Peer-delivered interventions may overcome staff time and resource shortages while increasing adolescent engagement. A previously tested peer-delivered model (STRIPES;16 weekly psychosocial sessions with a peer) showed promising effects but suboptimal engagement. METHOD: = 72) were randomized to STRIPES+ versus school services as usual (SSU). Engagement metrics were evaluated and group × time 1-year outcome trajectories were compared using Linear Mixed Models. RESULTS: = 0.34). There was no acute impact on primary academic or ADHD symptom outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Use of peer interventionists may be an effective engagement strategy for adolescents with ADHD. STRIPES+ engaged target mechanisms but students demonstrated similar 1-year school outcomes to SSU. A developmentally advantageous transfer of academic responsibility from parents to adolescents was noted in STRIPES+ relative to SSU. The long-term impact of STRIPES+ on promoting increasing academic autonomy through high school should be evaluated. CLINICALTRIALS: gov ID:NCT04571320.