The Bridges to Education Success for Teens (BEST)

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The Bridges to Education Success for Teens (BEST) project recruited 186 teens between 2015 and 2018 to evaluate the Challenging Horizons Program for high school students with ADHD. The BEST project was funded by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) from 2014 to 2019 and was conducted by researchers at Ohio University and Lehigh University. The investigators are Drs. Steven Evans and Julie Sarno Owens of Ohio University and Dr. George DuPaul of Lehigh University. The project has helped us learn about how these youth develop into adults, and how school-based treatments may help prepare these teens for the transition into adulthood.

Now we are interested in following the individuals who participated in our study from adolescence into adulthood. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the development of individuals diagnosed with ADHD to answer questions about the long-term course of ADHD and the long-term effects of school-based treatments. We are studying school and career functioning, social and emotional functioning, and drug and alcohol use. This project was funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) from 2021 to 2022. The principal investigator for this study is Samantha Margherio, a graduate student at Ohio University, with Drs. Evans, Owens, and DuPaul continuing to serve as study investigators.

BEST study participants may contact the BEST team to schedule a study appointment, update their contact information, or ask questions. We can be reached at 877-724-4241 or by email: best.study2021@gmail.com.

Newsletters for BEST

Resources
Please click here for a list of BEST resources in the Athens, Bethlehem, and Columbus communities.

BEST Team Members

Steven Evans
Ohio University

George DuPaul
Lehigh University

Julie Sarno Owens
Ohio University

Samantha Margherio (Kempker)
Ohio University

Sean Morse
Lehigh University

Publications

Cleminshaw, C. L., DuPaul, G. J., Kipperman, K. L., Evans, S. W., & Owens, J. S. (2020). Social deficits in high school students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the role of emotion dysregulation. School Psychology, 35(4), 233–242. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000392
DuPaul, G. J., Evans, S. W., Allan, D., Puzino, K., Xiang, J., Cooper, J., & Owens, J. S. (2019). High school teacher ratings of academic, social, and behavioral difficulties: Factor structure and normative data for the School Functioning Scale. School Psychology, 34(5), 479–491. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000323
Hustus, C. L., Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., Benson, K., Hetrick, A. A., Kipperman, K., & DuPaul, G. J. (2020). An Evaluation of 504 and Individualized Education Programs for High School Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. School Psychology Review, 49(3), 333-345. DOI: 10.1080/2372966X.2020.1777830
Margherio, S. M., Capps, R. E., Monopoli, W. J., Evans, S.W., Hernandez-Rodriguez, M., Owens, J. S., & DuPaul, G. J. (2021). Romantic relationships and sexual behavior among adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1087054720914371
Margherio, S. M., Brickner, M. A., Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., DuPaul, G. J., & Allan, N. P. (2020). The role of emotion regulation in alcohol use in adolescents with ADHD. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 34, 772–782. doi: 10.1037/adb0000582