Current Research Projects
Evaluating Physical Health of College Students with ADHD and the Acute Effects of Exercise on Cognition and Mood
The objectives for this line of research are to (a) document and report on the health characteristics of college students with ADHD (e.g., body composition, muscular strength, sleep quality) and (b) evaluate the acute or immediate effects of sprint interval training (SIT) on objective measures of executive functioning and mood in college students with ADHD. We are collaborating with Dr. Derek Smith in the UW Kinesiology Department. Eventually, we hope to examine the chronic effects of exercise on ADHD symptoms as well as compare the efficacy of exercise to stimulant medication.
The objectives for this line of research are to (a) document and report on the health characteristics of college students with ADHD (e.g., body composition, muscular strength, sleep quality) and (b) evaluate the acute or immediate effects of sprint interval training (SIT) on objective measures of executive functioning and mood in college students with ADHD. We are collaborating with Dr. Derek Smith in the UW Kinesiology Department. Eventually, we hope to examine the chronic effects of exercise on ADHD symptoms as well as compare the efficacy of exercise to stimulant medication.
Evaluating Treatments for ADHD in College Students
Every fall semester, the UW Psychology Clinic offers a group and individual therapy opportunity for college students with ADHD supervised by Cynthia Hartung and Tara Clapp. The treatment includes the following: (a) psychoeducation; (b) organization, time management and planning skills; (c) study skills. The clients attend the group therapy sessions weekly for six weeks, while attending three mandatory individual sessions with their assigned therapist. Clients may choose to schedule additional individual sessions, when needed. The objective of this line of research is to evaluate the effectiveness of this annual treatment program for college students with ADHD.
Every fall semester, the UW Psychology Clinic offers a group and individual therapy opportunity for college students with ADHD supervised by Cynthia Hartung and Tara Clapp. The treatment includes the following: (a) psychoeducation; (b) organization, time management and planning skills; (c) study skills. The clients attend the group therapy sessions weekly for six weeks, while attending three mandatory individual sessions with their assigned therapist. Clients may choose to schedule additional individual sessions, when needed. The objective of this line of research is to evaluate the effectiveness of this annual treatment program for college students with ADHD.
Providing School-Based Support for Secondary Students with ADHD
The specific aims of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of a grade-wide implementation of the organization and planning elements of the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP). The possible contributions from this study are far reaching since the CHP program was originally developed to be used within a subset of students with ADHD, who are in either middle school or junior high.
Parts of this study were recently presented at the 45th Annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention.
Currently, the lab is in talks with the developer of the CHP program to expand the program into more schools within the state of Wyoming and possible within Colorado as well.
The specific aims of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of a grade-wide implementation of the organization and planning elements of the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP). The possible contributions from this study are far reaching since the CHP program was originally developed to be used within a subset of students with ADHD, who are in either middle school or junior high.
Parts of this study were recently presented at the 45th Annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention.
- LaCount, P. A., Shelton, C. R., Clapp, T. K. W. & Hartung, C. M. (2013, November). Grade-wide implementation of the Challenging Horizons Program in a middle-school. Discussion led at the 45th meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Nashville, Tennessee.
Currently, the lab is in talks with the developer of the CHP program to expand the program into more schools within the state of Wyoming and possible within Colorado as well.
Characteristics of College Students with and without ADHD
Our lab manages a large, multisite online survey study that is conducted annually using the SONA research system. The following universities participate in the study and share the resulting data: University of Colorado at Boulder (Dr. Erik Willcutt), Appalachian State University (Dr. Will Canu), and University of Northern Iowa (Dr. Elizabeth Lefler). The objectives for this line of research are to:
Our lab manages a large, multisite online survey study that is conducted annually using the SONA research system. The following universities participate in the study and share the resulting data: University of Colorado at Boulder (Dr. Erik Willcutt), Appalachian State University (Dr. Will Canu), and University of Northern Iowa (Dr. Elizabeth Lefler). The objectives for this line of research are to:
- Examine appropriate diagnostic criteria for ADHD in emerging adults (18-25 years old), particularly focusing on the changes in symptom endorsement based on the DSM-IV versus the DSM-5.
- At UW and UNI, students may consent for their parent to be contacted, which results in additional compensation for the student.
- Both college student self-reports and collateral parent reports are collected and analyzed.
- At UW and UNI, students may consent for their parent to be contacted, which results in additional compensation for the student.
- Examine ADHD-related impairment in college students and other characteristics commonly co-occuring in those with ADHD (e.g., executive functioning deficits, sluggish cognitive tempo, problems with depression and anxiety).
- Analyze the relation between ADHD symptomatology and impairment with health behaviors (e.g., physical exercise, obesity, nutrient intake, sleep functioning)
- Analyze the role of parental and family support for college students with and without ADHD
ADHD assessment study.
This study will examine the ADHD assessments for adults conducted through the UW Psychology Clinic. The purpose of the study is to further our understanding of developmentally sensitive criteria for ADHD among adults. It remains unclear whether the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria remain the most appropriate for adults. We have a standardized assessment protocol and may expand this study to collaborate with other sites (e.g., Appalachian State University, University of Northern Iowa).
This study will examine the ADHD assessments for adults conducted through the UW Psychology Clinic. The purpose of the study is to further our understanding of developmentally sensitive criteria for ADHD among adults. It remains unclear whether the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria remain the most appropriate for adults. We have a standardized assessment protocol and may expand this study to collaborate with other sites (e.g., Appalachian State University, University of Northern Iowa).
Parental support in the transition to college
Currently, no known studies have examined the nature of parental support for college freshmen with ADHD and what constitutes the optimal level of support from parents. Due to the dearth of extant empirical studies on these topics, a qualitative study using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) will be conducted. College freshmen with ADHD and one of their parents will be recruited to participate in one-on-one interviews. The interview protocol will include questions such as: How has having ADHD impacted your transition from high school to college? In what ways do your parents currently support you (since you started college)? What is the communication like between you and your parents? What would be the ideal amount of involvement that you would like from your parents? Why?
Currently, no known studies have examined the nature of parental support for college freshmen with ADHD and what constitutes the optimal level of support from parents. Due to the dearth of extant empirical studies on these topics, a qualitative study using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) will be conducted. College freshmen with ADHD and one of their parents will be recruited to participate in one-on-one interviews. The interview protocol will include questions such as: How has having ADHD impacted your transition from high school to college? In what ways do your parents currently support you (since you started college)? What is the communication like between you and your parents? What would be the ideal amount of involvement that you would like from your parents? Why?
MTurk studies
Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a crowdsourcing marketplace operated by Amazon that allows individuals to complete surveys for pay. Chris Shelton collected data for his dissertation via MTurkers. We were able to use his participants who endorsed a previous diagnosis of ADHD for several follow-up studies. These studies include examining ADHD symptom stability cross-sectionally in individuals 18-70 years old, educational and occupational attainment in adults with ADHD, late onset ADHD (i.e., examining age of symptom onset and age of diagnosis), and information on constructs related to participant sex/gender/sexual orientation (e.g., prevalence rates of transgender individuals), among others.
Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a crowdsourcing marketplace operated by Amazon that allows individuals to complete surveys for pay. Chris Shelton collected data for his dissertation via MTurkers. We were able to use his participants who endorsed a previous diagnosis of ADHD for several follow-up studies. These studies include examining ADHD symptom stability cross-sectionally in individuals 18-70 years old, educational and occupational attainment in adults with ADHD, late onset ADHD (i.e., examining age of symptom onset and age of diagnosis), and information on constructs related to participant sex/gender/sexual orientation (e.g., prevalence rates of transgender individuals), among others.
Sex and gender in psychopathology
In addition to writing two reviews on this topic (Hartung & Widiger, 1998; Hartung & Lefler, under review), Dr. Hartung has an ongoing interest in study sex and gender constructs in psychopathology. We emphasize sex and gender differences in our research studies by adhering to the following guidelines outlined by Hartung and Lefler (under review): (a) be inclusive of both/all sex/genders and describe samples clearly, (b) ask accurate questions regarding sex/gender constructs, and (c) present and analyze data by sex/gender.
In addition to writing two reviews on this topic (Hartung & Widiger, 1998; Hartung & Lefler, under review), Dr. Hartung has an ongoing interest in study sex and gender constructs in psychopathology. We emphasize sex and gender differences in our research studies by adhering to the following guidelines outlined by Hartung and Lefler (under review): (a) be inclusive of both/all sex/genders and describe samples clearly, (b) ask accurate questions regarding sex/gender constructs, and (c) present and analyze data by sex/gender.
Understanding Bystanders' Behaviors in Response to Bullying
The purpose of this study is to examine whether making children aware that other children are also against bullying and would like to intervene will increase the likelihood that a child will intervene in a bullying altercation.
The purpose of this study is to examine whether making children aware that other children are also against bullying and would like to intervene will increase the likelihood that a child will intervene in a bullying altercation.