Factors associated with children's adherence to stimulant medication.

Hyperactive children and their families were studied to assess adherence to a regimen of stimulant medication. Of those agreeing to participate for one year, 20% had discontinued medication by the fourth month and 44% by the tenth month. Findings are discussed in relation to child and parent characteristics, and unique nature of using medication to treat behavior problems in children, and the difficulty of carrying out such long-term investigations with children.