Research Article  |   March 2017
Simulated Driving Skills Evaluation of Teenagers With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Before Driving Lessons
Navah Zelda Ratzon; Efrat Kadury Lunievsky; Arie Ashkenasi; Joseph Laks; Herman Avner Cohen
Author Affiliations
  • Navah Zelda Ratzon, PhD, is Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy Department, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; navah@post.tau.ac.il
  • Efrat Kadury Lunievsky, MSc.OT, is Occupational Therapist, Child Development Clinic, Tel Aviv, Israel. At the time of the study, she was Master’s Student, Occupational Therapy Department, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Arie Ashkenasi, MD, is Lecturer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, and Pediatric Neurologist, Weinberg Child Development Center, Safra Children’s Hospital, Tel Hashomer, Israel
  • Joseph Laks, MD, is Lecturer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, and Pediatrician, Pediatric Ambulatory Community Clinic, Ramat Aviv, Israel
  • Herman Avner Cohen, MD, is Associate Professor, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, and Pediatrician, Pediatric Ambulatory Community Clinic, Petach Tikva, Israel
Article Information
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder / Community Mobility and Driving / Pediatric Evaluation and Intervention / Children and Youth
Research Article   |   March 2017
Simulated Driving Skills Evaluation of Teenagers With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Before Driving Lessons
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March 2017, Vol. 71, 7103220010p1-7103220010p8. doi:10.5014/ajot.2017.020164
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March 2017, Vol. 71, 7103220010p1-7103220010p8. doi:10.5014/ajot.2017.020164
Abstract

OBJECTIVE. We evaluated the driving skills of teenagers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during simulated driving before starting driving lessons and observed whether methylphenidate (MPH) affected their performance.

METHOD. Sixty teenagers ages 15-18 yr were included; 29 teenagers with ADHD were tested with and without MPH, and 31 teenagers (control group) were tested once. All participants were tested on the STISIM Drive™ simulator.

RESULTS. The number of center-line crossings was higher in the group without MPH treatment than in the control group and the MPH-treated group. The group without MPH treatment had more road-edge excursions compared with the control group and drove faster than the MPH-treated group.

CONCLUSION. Adolescents with ADHD without MPH treatment demonstrated impaired performance more often while driving the simulator, resembling characteristics found during on-road driving among teenagers with ADHD. Trainer awareness is a primary intervention before taking driving lessons to help teenagers achieve safe driving performance.