Parents’ views on taking part in N-of-1 trials and single-case experiments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

About this study

N-of-1 trials and other single-case designs are structured, personalised approaches used to evaluate whether a particular treatment is effective for an individual. These methods are particularly relevant in the context of ADHD, where treatment responses vary significantly across children, and families often use informal trial-and-error strategies to determine what works.

This study aims to explore parents’ perspectives on participating in an N-of-1 trial or other single-case design to evaluate ADHD treatments for their child. It examines what might encourage or discourage participation and seeks to understand how these designs are perceived in everyday clinical contexts. The findings will help inform the design of future studies so they are more acceptable and relevant to families navigating ADHD treatment.

This project is part of a broader research program investigating the views of key stakeholders on the use of N-of-1 trials and single-case designs in healthcare. Stakeholders include health professionals (such as GPs, psychologists, and paediatricians), patients and carers, trialists, methodologists, biostatisticians, journal editors, ethics board members, and research funders.

Ethical Approval

This study adheres to the Guidelines of the ethical review process of The University of Queensland and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Ethics ID: 2025/HE001307.

Funding 

Participant reimbursement for this study was supported through funding provided by the Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University.