PSYC 399 CHAPTER #8: ADHD Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): -ADHD: describes children who display persistent age-inappropriate symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that are sufficient to cause impairment in major life activities · inattentive: not focusing · hyperactive: always in motion, displaying unusually high levels of energy . impulsive: acting without thinking History of ADHD -first described in 1775 by Weikard -further hypotheses made by Crichton (1798) and George Still (1902) -1917-1926: influenza epidemic experienced some ADHD symptoms called brain-injured child syndrome -1950s: ADHD was referred to as hyperkinesis (poor filtering of stimuli) . View led to definition of the hyperactive child syndrome, in which motor overactivity was considered the main feature of ADHD . But soon realized that hyperactivity not the only prob -1970s: ADHD has more symptoms; attention, impulse and hyperactivity -1980s-present day: interest in children with ADHD has increased dramatically Core Characteristics -ADHD is listed as a neurodevelopmental disorder because it has an early onset and persistent course -associated with lasting alterations in neural development, and is often accompanied by subtle delays and problems in language, motor, and social development that overlap with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and specific learning disorder DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD -A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity that interferes with functioning or development, as characterized by: 1) inattention (must have symptoms for at least 6 months) 2) hyperactivity and impulsivity (must have 6 or more of the symptoms for at least 6 months) -Additional criteria: . present before 12 years old . Persistent for over 6 months . occur more often and with greater severity than in other children of the same age and sex; · symptoms present in two or more settings · interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, academic, or occupational functioning · not be better explained by another mental disorder
Symptoms: -Inattention . Inattention: refers to an inability to sustain attention, stick to tasks, play activities, to remember and follow t/ instructions & rules, & to resist distractions · inattention alone isn't enough to become ADHD Attentional Capacity . Attentional Capacity: the amount of information we can remember and attend to for a short time . children with ADHD do NOT have a problem with their attentional capacity (they can remember the same amount of short term information as other children) Selective Attention . Selective Attention: the ability to concentrate on relevant stimuli and ignore task- irrelevant stimuli in the Environment . ex: how easily distracted are you by other things in the room? Distractibility · Distractibility: a deficit in selective attention · i.e. distractions . all children can be easily distracted, but children with ADHD are more likely to be distracted by stimuli that are highly salient and appealing. Sustained Attention · Sustained Attention (vigilance): ability to maintain a persistent focus over time on unchallenging, uninteresting tasks or activities when tired or fatigued (i.e. keeping focus) . a primary attention deficit in ADHD seems to be with sustained attention · Boring, repetitive