Sleep disturbances in adolescents with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

We evaluated 32 nonmedicated male adolescents diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood, 35 male adolescents similarly diagnosed who were receiving methylphenidate (MPH), and 77 control boys. Both ADHD groups completed self-report questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances; weekday and holiday sleep duration; and symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Parents and teachers rated the severity of the participants' ADHD. The control group completed self-report questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances. We found that nonmedicated participants and controls did not differ in the severity of sleep disturbance. In contrast, the medicated participants demonstrated a significantly greater severity of sleep disturbance compared with the nonmedicated participants and reported elevated levels of symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Specific analyses showed that depressive symptoms contributed significantly to the degree of sleep disturbance when controlling for ADHD diagnosis and MPH treatment. These findings suggest that among adolescents with ADHD symptoms, the severity of symptoms of depression may contribute to the degree of sleep disturbance in addition to the effect of their primary disorder and MPH treatment.     

Comorbidity of reading disability and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: differences by gender and subtype

This study used a community sample of 494 twins with a reading disability (223 girls, 271 boys) and 373 twins without a reading disability (189 girls, 184 boys) to assess the relation between reading disability (RD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Symptoms of DSM-III and DSM-IV ADHD were classified into symptoms of inattention and symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity (H/I). Results indicated that individuals with RD were more likely than individuals without RD to meet criteria for ADHD and that the association between RD and ADHD was stronger for symptoms of inattention than for symptoms of H/I. Parents and teachers reported similar rates of ADHD, suggesting that ADHD symptoms were pervasive across settings and were not solely attributable to academic frustration. Analyses of possible gender differences revealed that RD was significantly associated with inattention in both girls and boys but associated with H/I only in boys. This difference may provide a partial explanation for the discrepancy between the gender ratio obtained in referred (approximately 4 boys to 1 girl) and nonreferred (1.2 to 1.5 boys to 1 girl) samples of individuals with RD. Specifically, the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors exhibited by boys with RD may be more disruptive than the inattentive behaviors exhibited by girls and may therefore precipitate more frequent referrals for clinical attention.     

Postsecondary attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and deliberate practice: Study time,study quality,and self-perceptions

The current study examined study habits of postsecondary students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through the theoretical context of deliberate practice. The responses of participants with and without ADHD were compared on a survey of study time, study quality, and self-perceptions of study habits, as well as a measure of test anxiety. Groups were equivalent on reports of study time and time spent in other activities, percentage of classes they attend, use of conducive study environments, and planning of studying. Despite similar study behaviors, ADHD participants were more likely to feel unprepared for tests, reported significantly higher test anxiety, and had lower grade point averages. Regardless of ADHD status, the majority of study participants were not implementing deliberate practice behaviors, with the exception of class attendance, and study times fell far below recommended levels. Findings provided evidence that emulating the study behaviors of peers is not sufficient for students with ADHD to experience similar outcomes.     

Cognitive and academic abilities associated with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a comparison between subtypes in a Greek non-clinical sample

The study assessed cognitive and academic performance of children demonstrating teacher-rated ADHD-related symptoms (Inattention [IA] and/or Hyperactivity/Impulsivity [H/I]) in a representative sample of, largely untreated, Greek elementary school students (N?=?923). A battery of tests assessing short-term memory (STM), sustained attention, executive functions (EFs), reading and math skills were administered. Significant deficits in EFs and STM were restricted to the groups of students displaying inattention symptoms and were only marginally elevated among students showing hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms alone, in comparison to their non-symptomatic peers. A similar pattern of group differences was observed on tests assessing word- and text-level reading skills. Impaired performance on sustained attention tasks was less evident. Among students who manifested inattention symptoms, those who also showed impaired reading skills presented more severe EFs deficits than typically achieving students. Results demonstrated a close link between EFs, other than inhibition and set-shifting, everyday symptoms of inattention, and achievement in math and word-level reading skills.     

EEG analysis of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and comorbid reading disabilities

This study investigated electroencephalographic differences between two groups of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, combined type, with reading disabilities (ADHD + RD) or without (ADHD) and typical control participants. Twenty participants were included in each group. All participants were between the ages of 8 and 12 years, and groups were matched on age and gender. The electroencephalographic (EEG) was recorded during an eyes-closed resting condition from 21 monopolar derivations, which were clustered into nine regions for analysis. The EEGs were Fourier-transformed to provide absolute and relative power estimates for the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands. Ratio coefficients were also calculated for the theta/alpha and theta/beta ratios. Compared with controls, the clinical groups demonstrated the increased slow-wave and reduced fast-wave activity commonly reported in the ADHD literature. The ADHD + RD group had more relative theta, less relative alpha, and a higher theta/alpha ratio than the ADHD group. A number of hemispheric differences were also found in the delta and alpha bands. These results suggested that some of the EEG divergences found in the ADHD + RD group represent an electrophysiological component associated with the reading disability that is independent of the EEG divergences found in ADHD.     

Linkages between child abuse and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls: behavioral and social correlates

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to examine whether girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of having histories of abuse and to assess whether the presence of an abuse history may constitute a distinct subgroup of youth with ADHD. METHOD: We examined rates and correlates of child abuse in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n=140) and a matched comparison sample of girls without ADHD (n=88), all aged 6-12 years. A thorough chart review reliably established documented rates of physical and sexual abuse in both samples. RESULTS: There were significantly higher rates of abuse for girls with ADHD (14.3%) than for the comparison sample (4.5%), with most of the abuse found in girls with the Combined as opposed to the Inattentive type. Higher rates of externalizing behaviors (including objective observations in a research summer camp) and peer rejection (indexed through peer sociometric nominations) characterized the subgroup of girls with ADHD with abuse histories compared to the subgroup without such histories, with moderate to large effect sizes. Subgroup differences regarding internalizing problems and cognitive deficits did not emerge. Findings regarding peer rejection were explained, in part, by higher rates of observed aggressive behavior in the abused subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: The findings raise important questions about the possible etiologic and/or exacerbating role of abusive trauma in a subgroup of children with ADHD.     

Preschool twin study of the relation between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and prereading skills

Numerous studies have examined the etiology of the association between reading difficulties and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in school-age children, but little is known about the relation between prereading skills and ADHD behaviors prior to the beginning of formal reading instruction. A population-based sample of 809 pairs of preschool twins completed an extensive battery of prereading measures, and the parent of each twin completed an ADHD rating scale. Phenotypic analyses revealed small but significant correlations between DSM-IV inattention ratings and six prereading composite measures, whereas hyperactivity–impulsivity symptoms were not independently associated with any of the prereading scores. Multivariate twin analyses indicated that virtually all of the phenotypic correlation between inattention and prereading performance is attributable to common genetic influences, consistent with results obtained in studies of older twins. Although additional research is needed to test alternative causal models in children younger than five years old, these results are most consistent with the hypothesis that reading difficulties and inattention symptoms are attributable to common genetic influences.     

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A review of the literature on social skills deficits

Social interactions between children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and their teachers, peers, and parents are discussed. The extent to which these interactions may be termed problematic may depend on the social skills deficits displayed by this population. Although the general trend in the liternature has been to examine and describe children with deficient social skills, changing the focus to children with AD/HD who are not experiencing these difficulties may prove beneficial. A review of the previous literature is discussed, as well as suggestions for practice and future research needs.     

Information processing deficits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, inattentive type, and children with reading disability

We examined the information processing capabilities of children diagnosed with the inattentive subtype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who had been characterized as having a sluggish cognitive tempo. Children referred for school-related problems (n = 81) and nonreferred community controls (n = 149) participated. Of the referred children, 24 met criteria for ADHD, 42 met criteria for reading disability (RD), and 9 of these were comorbid for RD and ADHD. Children with ADHD differed from those without ADHD on a visual search task but not on an auditory processing task; the reverse was true for children with RD. Decomposition of the visual search task into component operations demonstrated that children in the ADHD group had a slow processing rate that was not attributable to inattention. The children with ADHD were not globally poor at information processing or inattentive, but they demonstrated diminished speed of visual processing.     

The early caregiver-child relationship and attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity in kindergarten: a prospective study

Newborn status, ratings of temperament, and heretofore neglected experiential (parenting) antecedents of hyperactivity were evaluated in a prospective, longitudinal investigation. The experiential variables were derived from a developmental theory of arousal modulation in the early years. Patterns of maternal intrusive care, seductive behavior, and overstimulation were assessed at 6 months, 2 years, and 3 1/2 years, respectively. 2 of these 3 variables significantly predicted hyperactivity in kindergarten at age 5 or 6, as determined by clinically validated ratings made by teachers. Of the 38 early child variables, which included neonatal behavioral assessments and ratings of activity level by parents and observers on many occasions during the first 2 1/2 years, only the motor maturity factor from 2 composited Brazelton exams yielded a significant relation. In addition, a measure of distractibility at 42 months was predictive of hyperactivity. Although other child measures may prove to be more powerful than those we tested, it will remain the case that prospective data are a critical arbiter of etiological factors in hyperactivity. Such data have important implications for both diagnosis and treatment.     

Learning disabilities and risk-taking behavior in adolescents: a comparison of those with and without comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Risk-taking behavior includes alcohol and drug use, delinquency, acts of aggression, sexual activity, and so on. Many studies have explored the relationship between adolescents and risk-taking behavior; however, only a few studies have examined this link in adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of the present study was to address that limitation by comparing the risk-taking behavior of adolescents with LD (n=230), with comorbid LD/ADHD (n=92), and without LD or ADHD (n=322) on their substance use, engagement in major and minor delinquency, acts of aggression, sexual activity, and gambling activities. The study also investigated whether psychosocial variables (e.g., well-being) may act as mediating variables that help explain between-group differences. Results suggest that it is a combination of the LD and the secondary psychosocial characteristics that explains why adolescents with LD and comorbid LD/ADHD more frequently engage in some risk-taking behavior.     

Counterstories of college persistence by undocumented Mexicana students: navigating race,class, gender,and legal status

This paper draws from four sets of four in‐depth interviews and one subsequent focus group to examine how undocumented Mexicana students navigate identities and the meanings of race, gender, class, and legal status. We mobilize a critical race theory framework to center and explore the content of students’ counterstories. While majoritarian stories perpetuate stereotypical narratives that portray communities of color as culturally deficient, counterstorytelling creates a space for exposing and resisting hegemonic narratives in the home, community, and college settings. We argue that, through counterstories, Mexicana students are able to develop a positive self‐image that allows them to hang on to their academic aspirations, to persist in college, and to envision and pursue the possibility of success. We look at how undocumented Mexicana students’ narratives also reproduce and/or reinscribe elements of oppressive discourses of race, class, and gender in the contemporary USA. We consider some implications of our discussion of counterstories for educational theory and policy.     

Knowledge and attitudes towards attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a comparison of teachers and teaching assistants

ABSTRACT

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rates in classrooms have increased considerably in recent years. Previous literature has acknowledged the significance of teachers’ knowledge and attitudes towards ADHD when making referral and intervention decisions. Using Mulholland, Cumming and Jung’s (2015) knowledge (SASK) and attitude (SASA) scales, ADHD training and perceived support were compared across public school teachers (n = 165) and teaching assistants (TAs) (n = 157) in the UK. Results indicated that teachers and TAs displayed adequate levels of knowledge, and TAs held better knowledge and more positive feelings towards ADHD than teachers. Training increased knowledge for TAs, but not for teachers, and training and support appeared important for both the teachers and TAs’ attitudes. Both teachers and TAs reported inadequate training and expressed a desire for further ADHD training, and a significant association was found between knowledge and attitudes for teachers only. The implications for these findings are discussed.     

Visualisation to support children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder learning to solve mathematical word problems: A randomised controlled trial

This randomised controlled trial experimental study compared the effectiveness of using two different types of visualisation – self-constructed visualisation (SCV) and passively received visualisation (PRV) – to help children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) solve mathematical word problems. While SCV refers to drawings that children create to help solve given word problems, PRV refers to pre-made images that accompany word problems. Twenty children with ADHD in Kuwait, aged nine to 11 years, were randomly assigned to either the SCV or PRV group, where they were taught to use either SCV or PRV to solve word problems across 20 daily one-to-one sessions. The results showed that regardless of the visualisation type, children's word problem-solving ability significantly improved. Children with ADHD should thus be encouraged to use visualisation to help make the word problem-solving process more accessible to them.     

Discrepant team decisions: The effects of race,gender, achievement,and IQ on LD eligibility

To determine whether student characteristics might influence the misclassification of pupils with respect to LD status, the racial, gender, intellectual, achievement, and grade-level status of 344 subjects who had been referred for LD diagnosis was examined. In one fourth of the cases, students were declared either eligible without a severe discrepancy or ineligible with a severe discrepancy regardless of method used (standard score vs. regressed standard score) or cutoff value employed (15-point vs. 22-point discrepancy). Being White, older, and of higher intelligence and achievement were characteristics of those found ineligible despite a severe discrepancy. Being female and less academically able were characteristics of those declared eligible without a severe discrepancy. Implications are presented.     

The redistributive equity of affirmative action: Exploring the role of race,socioeconomic status,and gender in college admissions

This paper contributes to research on affirmative action by examining issues of equity in the context of racial quotas in Brazil. We study the experience of the University of Brasilia, which established racial quotas in 2004 reserving 20% of available admissions slots for students who self-identified as black. Based on university admissions data and a student survey conducted by the authors, we find evidence that race, socioeconomic status, and gender were considerable barriers to college attendance and achievement. For example, first-difference regressions involving pairs of siblings indicate that black identity and gender had a negative effect on entrance exam scores. Moreover, we compare displaced and displacing applicants and find that racial quotas helped promote equity to some extent. Nevertheless, the scale and scope of redistribution were highly limited, and the vast majority of Brazilians had little chance of attending college, suggesting that more still needs to be done.     

Blinded to science: gender differences in the effects of race,ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on academic and science attitudes among sixth graders

Little research has examined whether the effects of race or socioeconomic status (SES) on educational attitudes differ by gender, limiting knowledge of unique vulnerabilities occurring at the intersection of multiple social statuses. Using data from 182 sixth-graders, interactions between gender, race/ethnicity, and SES in predicting educational aspirations, persistence, views of science, and educational self-efficacy are examined. African American and Latino boys express more negative attitudes relative to (1) higher-SES boys, (2) White boys, and (3) girls of any race/ethnicity or level of SES. The intersection of multiple inequalities in education across the early life course is discussed.     

Childhood adversity and adult depression among the incarcerated: Differential exposure and vulnerability by race/ethnicity and gender

The relationship between childhood adversity and adult depression is well-established but less is known about the association between childhood adversity and adult depression among the incarcerated. In this paper, we examine differential exposure and vulnerability to childhood adversity by race/ethnicity and gender on adult depression among the incarcerated in the United States. We address three research questions: does exposure to childhood adverse experiences vary by race/ethnicity and gender? Is there an association between these childhood adverse events and depression and does the strength of the association vary by the specific adverse experiences? And does vulnerability to childhood adversity vary by gender and race/ethnicity? Using the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities (SI-SFCF), we measure four key childhood adverse events – parental/caretaker substance abuse, physical assault, having been placed in foster care, and sexual assault. We use ordinary least squares regression and a series of interaction effect analyses to examine differential exposure and vulnerability to the four childhood adverse experiences by race/ethnicity and gender. Incarcerated women are more likely to report parental substance abuse, but all inmates/prisoners are similarly vulnerable to this experience. For the other three adverse experiences measured, we find that there are important racial/ethnic and gender differences in both exposure and vulnerability. African American men and women are more vulnerable to the effects of physical and sexual victimization than White and Hispanic men and women. Women are much more likely to be exposed to sexual victimization, but men who report this experience are significantly more depressed. Hispanic women and White men and women are more likely to report foster care, but all inmates/prisoners who report foster care experiences are significantly more depressed than other inmates/prisoners, with the exception of white men. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in exposure and vulnerability to childhood adversity by race/ethnicity and gender. We conclude that in order to effectively design and implement programs to decrease the probability that childhood adversity is a risk factor for adult depression interventions must be targeted toward specific, vulnerable groups according to race/ethnicity and gender.     

Preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy in managing students with symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: The roles of diagnostic label and students’ gender

The present study investigated preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy in classroom management involving students with symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A total of 137 Chinese preservice teachers were randomly presented with one of four vignettes involving a student character with ADHD symptoms, with manipulations including the character’s gender and diagnostic label of ADHD. Upon reading the vignette, participants responded to questions concerning their self‐efficacy in inclusive classroom management involving the character. Findings based on analysis of covariance indicated an interaction effect of the vignette character’s gender and label on teachers’ self‐efficacy. Specifically, teachers perceived greater self‐efficacy in a classroom involving a girl with an ADHD label than in a classroom involving a girl with no label or a boy with a label. Findings enriched the literature concerning the roles of gender and label in preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy toward inclusive classroom management.