Pharmacology
What Does the MTA Study Tell Us About Medication vs. Behavioral Therapy for ADHD?
Questions this summary answers
- What does the MTA study tell us about medication vs. behavioral therapy for ADHD?
- Does combined treatment work better than medication alone?
- What happened at the 3-year and 16-year follow-ups?
- How does comorbid anxiety change the MTA findings?
- Do initial treatment advantages persist long-term?
- What does 'treatment group convergence' mean for long-term planning?
Go Deeper
This summary distills key findings. For the full clinical discussion with complete citations, explore the source lessons.
Primary source
Stimulant MedicationsThe MTA: What the Longest Study Tells UsPsychosocial & Behavioral InterventionsThe MTA Legacy: What Combined Treatment Really ShowsADHD Across the LifespanSchool-Age ADHD: Combined TreatmentAlso covered in
Comorbidity IADHD + Anxiety: Presentation & TreatmentLast updated: 2026-04-14