Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder has a complicated and interesting history and because of that it is important to understands this disorders implications and comorbidity to better treat and diagnose it. Research done by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 11% of the US population between the ages of 4-17 are affected with ADHD; that’s 6.4 million children and the prevalence of diagnosis is only increasing (2016). It was generally assumed that ADHD was something children would grow out of but new studies show that approximately 4% of the adult population in the US are still suffering from ADHD or have developed ADHD (Breyer, J. L., Lee, S., Winters, K. C., August, G. J., & Realmuto, G. M. 2014). ADHD is …show more content…
2002). First step to understanding this disorder is to understand how it is diagnosed and what criteria is required. There are 18 possible symptoms for ADHD that are divided into two categories, inattentive and hyperactivity/impulsive (Barkley 1997). In order to be diagnosed with ADHD an individual must show at least 6 symptoms in one category for 6 months (Barkley 1997). Depending on what category the symptoms were in the child would also be assigned to a subtype, either: predominantly inattentive or predominantly hyperactive/impulsive; but if the individual met criteria for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive then the child would be diagnoses with ADHD combined (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 2013). Some of the symptoms that fall under the inattentive subtype are inability to stay focused on tasks (i.e. during lectures, conversations, …show more content…
In a study published by Hung-Pollock and Karalunas, they created an experiment that tested children with and without ADHD’s working memory (WM) to better understand how their executive functioning (EF) developed (2010). In order for an individual to use and learn an executive function, that individual must first use WM to remember and practice that function until it becomes automatic. Hung-Pollock and Karalunas used two types of test to measure reaction time (RT) and apply that data to WM. The first test was alphabet arithmetic (AA), a computer program that would present a question with a number and a letter (i.e A+1=?) (Hung-Pollock C. L., & Karalunas S. L. 2010). Children were expected to replace the letter with the number associated with its position in the alphabet (i.e. A=1, B=2, C=3) and solve. The children were told to press that enter button with would record their RT and then say their answer aloud to the research assistant who then recorded answers (Hung-Pollock C. L., & Karalunas S. L. 2010). The second test, called finger math (FM), was another computer program that presented children with the same math problems as the AA (Hung-Pollock C. L., Karalunas S. L.
Since its discovery in the 1950’s, ADHD has drastically affected the growth of psychology. The mystery surrounding ADHD, its symptoms, causes and its treatments, has sparked countless research studies and trials; psychologists and psychiatrists are intrigued to know more about the disorder. Research in ADHD has shown a remarkable amount of overlap between ADHD symptoms and those of co-morbid learning disorders and health conditions (Lange, Reichl, Lange, Tucha, & Tucha, 2010). A few examples of these comorbid conditions would be depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, dyslexia, and many others. The study of ADHD will continue to be an important aspect of psychology due to the ongoing advances in diagnoses
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that causes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. ADHD has three main subtypes. The first subtype is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive which means the child must fidget or squirm have trouble being quite, always moving and cannot sit still. The second subtype is predominantly inattentive, children who have this subtype have a small probability of acting out. They may sit quietly but are not paying attention. The last subtype is combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive. Attention deficit hyperactivity is one of the most common childhood disorders that can continue into adulthood. Each subtype has 9 symptoms
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, has become a well-known disorder that our ears hear lightly and many don’t think twice about. Although, ADHD is presented in over 11,000,000 people that are living in the United States (Frank, 2017). ADHD is prevalent in both women and men of all various ages. Once one has this disorder, it stays with them forever. However, many therapists as well as psychologist believe that this disorder is over diagnosed and leads into false and inaccurate prescriptions. Due to ADHD being primarily diagnosed at the age of 7 (Holland, 2014), the main symptoms leading into the identity of ADHD are hyper activity, being easily distracted, acting out, daydreaming, physical aggression, and a lack
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, has become a well-known disorder that our ears hear lightly and many don’t think twice about. Although, ADHD is presented in over 11,000,000 people that are living in the United States (Frank, 2017). ADHD is prevalent in both women and men of all various ages. Once one has this disorder, it stays with them forever. However, many therapists as well as psychologist believe that this disorder is over diagnosed and leads into false and inaccurate prescriptions. Due to ADHD being primarily diagnosed at the age of 7 (Holland, 2014), the main symptoms leading into the identity of ADHD are hyper activity, being easily distracted, acting out, daydreaming, physical
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”) is a common childhood disorder that represents developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity and overactivity. It occurs in 3% to 5% of the school age population as stated by (Craighead, Craighead, Kazdin & Mahoney, 1994). Another author (Barkley, 1981) stated that ADHD occurs in at least one child in every classroom. As a result of these statistics, ADHD has become one of the most commonly referred and heavily studied psychological disorders of childhood. Studies show that about 50-60% of children with ADHD in the age range of five to seven years are hostile and defiant. By the
I believe that there is a very high number of children with ADHD in America that are being misdiagnosis because diagnosing ADHD is extremely hard and society views ADHD as a disease opposed to the disorder it truly is. In recent years there has been a major increase in the number of children diagnosed with ADHD. According to an FDA advisory committee, in 2014 "2.5 million children now take stimulants for ADHD" . 2.5 million people is roughly the population of Toronto, it's hard to look past a large number of diagnoses of a disorder let alone it being in children. With that high of a number of cases of ADHD, it's not hard to believe that ADHD is "the most prevalent childhood psychiatric disorder" . As I previously stated, ADHD is commonly
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition for the brain noticeable through a continuous pattern of not being attentive, hyperactivity and impulsivity which inhibits functioning or development. Individuals with the disease find it difficult to concentrate and control their impulsive behaviors. They may appear to be agitated and are always energetic. The disorder is not only limited to children but can affect even grown-ups. Periods of hyperactivity however tends to get better as kids become older whereas inattention and impulsivity normally persists to adulthood (NIH, 2016). There is no cure known for ADHD but it can however be managed through a number of options that are available. The treatment alternatives present may
Even though Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, has received a lot of attention in recent years, many children and adults are not receiving treatment. A reason could be due to the misconceptions or myths that plague this disorder. Many people have heard some of the following myths: ADHD isn’t a real condition, only boys have ADHD, ADHD is over diagnosed, kids with ADHD will outgrow it, these myths barely skim the surface of all that is existing. ADHD is a medical condition per the “National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Psychiatric Association, both boys and girls can have ADHD however, it is more than twice as likely to be diagnosed in boys” (Morin 1). While many
Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders children face. It is typically diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. “Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active” (CDC 2013). While there is no known direct cause of ADHD, many factors including genetics, environment, social class, and diet are possible links to the disorder. “There are three forms of ADHD; Predominately inattentive presentation, Predominately hyperactive-impulsive presentation and Combined presentation. Forms of ADHD are diagnosed based upon the extremity of displayed symptoms”( CDC 2015).
Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD, and it’s counterpart Attention Deficit-hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, are some of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in children and adolescents. For the purposes of this paper ADD and ADHD will be used interchangeably. The disorder affects an estimated 3-5% of school age children,[1] though some estimates put the percentage closer to eight percent. The characteristics of this disorder are generally hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity which can cause a variety of impairments in social, academic,
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly diagnosed in childhood and affects approximately 5% of children worldwide (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Once thought to be a disruptive behavior problem, it is now believed to be a neuropsychological disorder that results from abnormalities within the brain and manifests as functional deficits (Barkley, 1997). These deficits result in symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. Current diagnostic criteria for ADHD include 18 symptoms that are defined by these three core clusters (APA, 2013). ADHD usually manifests during childhood, however it persists into adolescence and adulthood in an estimated 35%-70% of cases (Adler & Cohen, 2004; Barkley, Fischer, Smallish, & Fletcher, 2002; Kessler et al., 2005) and affects approximately 2.5% of adults worldwide (APA, 2013). The prevalence of adult ADHD is estimated to be between 4% and 5% in the United States, amounting to approximately 9.4 million adults (Faraone, Spencer, Montano, & Biederman, 2004).
They are used to organize different tasks and analyze the main idea when facing lots of information. Also, they have the ability to account for the short and long term effect o their actions so as to plan the priority list inside their mind but ADHD children cannot. Jeffery always faces problem on his study and claim that he doesn’t understand the connection of the context. His teacher also stated that Jeffery was weak in logical and critical thinking. As the frontal lobe of the ADHD, which is responded to regulate the executive function, is less active than normal people, their cognitive flexibility and higher order executive functioning are generally weaker. They cannot manage in oraganising, reasoning and solving problems.
ADHD is an abbreviation for attention deficit/hyper activity disorder. It is commonly referred to as a psychiatric disorder in need of therapy. The origination of the disease is in the neuro-physiological brain construct, and the main cause of the disorder is considered to be genetic (Wilson, 2012). Many children with ADHD struggle with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention (Unnever, Cullen, & Pratt, 2003). According to McNamara, Vervaeke, and Willoughby (2008), “attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder among children and adolescents. It affects between 3% and 5% of school age children” (p. 38). In a
This article was about a study with children that have ADHD and the effects of rewards and their conduct and attention to task. Visual-spatial Working Memory (WM) Is the most impaired executive functions in children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study open my eyes to the whole theory behind children with ADHD and motivation. These kids typically are less motivated because of a motivational deficiency. To overcome this deficiency the test was administered to increase motivation for the child with ADHD to complete a special task. The child's motivation only increased when an a large amount of the reward was given to the youngster with ADHD. They were able to manage the task and maintain the same level of competency as the children who did not have ADHD . The findings of this study, although not conclusive did in fact prove that children with ADHD given a proper motivation had the ability to do the same work as a child who does not have ADHD and can maintain their focus for the same amount of