From ABCs to ADHD: the role of schooling in the construction of behaviour disorder and production of disorderly objects

Discussion of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the media, and thus much popular discourse, typically revolves around the possible causes of disruptive behaviour and the “behaviourally disordered” child. The usual suspects - too much television and video games, food additives, bad parenting, lack of discipline and single mothers – feature prominently as potential contributors to the spiralling rate of ADHD diagnosis in Western industrialised nations, especially the United States and Australia. Conspicuously absent from the field of investigation, however, is the scene of schooling and the influence that the discourses and practices of schooling might bring to bear upon the constitution of “disorderly behaviour” and subsequent recognition of particular children as a particular kind of “disorderly”. This paper reviews a sample of the literature surrounding ADHD, in order to question the function of this absence and, ultimately, make an argument for an interrogation of the school as a site for the production of disorderly objects

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a closer look

Includes bibliographical references

Disclosure Concerns: The Stigma of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Writing Centers

Despite widespread research regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in general education, little research exists connecting this medical phenomenon to writing center pedagogy. A 2008 report by the United States Government Accountability Office found that “the most commonly reported type of disability among US college students was mental, emotional, or psychiatric illness or depression (24%). The second most common was Attention Deficit Disorder (19%), with mobility impairment coming in third (15%)” (qtd. in Babcock 39). Thus, writing centers can expect to encounter writers with ADHD, but the diagnosis remains unexplored when it comes to tutoring situations and how we might best support writers with ADHD. We address this absence in the research by applying disability studies scholarship to an exploration of disclosure concerns and stigma.University Writing Cente

Towards a functional model of mental disorders incorporating the laws of thermodynamics

The current paper presents the hypothesis that the understanding of mental disorders can be advanced by incorporating the laws of thermodynamics, specifically relating to energy conservation and energy transfer. These ideas, along with the introduction of the notion that entropic activities are symptomatic of inefficient energy transfer or disorder, were used to propose a model of understanding mental ill health as resulting from the interaction of entropy, capacity and work (environmental demands). The model was applied to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and was shown to be compatible with current thinking about this condition, as well as emerging models of mental disorders as complex networks. A key implication of the proposed model is that it argues that all mental disorders require a systemic functional approach, with the advantage that it offers a number of routes into the assessment, formulation and treatment for mental health problems

Management of Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities: A Survey of Paediatric Occupational Therapists in the United Kingdom

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common complex neuropsychiatric disorder frequently overlapping with learning disabilities (LD) in children with average and above intelligence (Biederman et al 1991). The complex needs of these children could be better addressed in a multidisciplinary context (Foy & Earls 2005) within which paediatric occupational therapists may have a significant role. The aim of this study was to identify the interventions used by occupational therapists in the United Kingdom with these children and explore the rationale for their use. The purpose was to provide baseline data to inform multidisciplinary team approaches for the management of these children. A survey, based on postal questionnaires, was conducted among 100 paediatric occupational therapists in the United Kingdom. The effective rate of response was 42%. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered and analysed. The findings suggested that therapists tended to use more than one method/ approach in the rehabilitation of these children. The sensory integration approach and the perceptual-motor training were more popular among therapists. A variety of other approaches, used on an individual needs basis, were reportedly used. Future studies to test the effectiveness of reported practices with children with both ADHD and LD are recommended

Occupational therapy for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Part 1: A delineation model of practice

In the United Kingdom (UK), occupational therapy for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a small field of practice (Chu 2003a), even though 5% of school-aged children in the population are affected by the condition (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 1994). Occupational therapists have much to offer children with ADHD in facilitating engagement in meaningful tasks and successful participation in different occupations, but lack holistic models of evaluation and intervention. In part 1 of a two-part article, an occupational therapy delineation model of practice is presented, in order to provide guidelines for understanding the specific psychopathology and management of this disorder from a multidimensional perspective. The model is based on an extensive literature review, the first author’s clinical experience and the data gathered from occupational therapists about their priorities for assessment and treatment (Chu 2005). Many strategies are suggested for assessing, understanding and addressing the needs of children with ADHD. The application of this model is discussed by describing specific occupational therapy evaluation and intervention procedures that are suitable for a family-centred assessment and treatment package. Some validation for this model is achieved through a multicentre evaluation, which will be reported in part 2 of this article

Management of children with ADHD and LD: A survey of paediatric occupational therapists in the UK

Copyright @ 2009 The University of HuddersfieldAttention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common complex neuropsychiatric disorder frequently overlapping with learning disabilities (LD) in children with average and above intelligence (Biederman et al 1991). The complex needs of these children could be better addressed in a multidisciplinary context (Foy & Earls 2005) within which paediatric occupational therapists may have a significant role. The aim of this study was to identify the interventions used by occupational therapists in the United Kingdom with these children and explore the rationale for their use. The purpose was to provide baseline data to inform multidisciplinary team approaches for the management of these children. A survey, based on postal questionnaires, was conducted among 100 paediatric occupational therapists in the United Kingdom. The effective rate of response was 42%. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered and analysed. The findings suggested that therapists tended to use more than one method/ approach in the rehabilitation of these children. The sensory integration approach and the perceptual-motor training were more popular among therapists. A variety of other approaches, used on an individual needs basis, were reportedly used. Future studies to test the effectiveness of reported practices with children with both ADHD and LD are recommended

Individual classification of ADHD patients by integrating multiscale neuroimaging markers and advanced pattern recognition techniques

Accurate classification or prediction of the brain state across individual subject, i.e., healthy, or with brain disorders, is generally a more difficult task than merely finding group differences. The former must be approached with highly informative and sensitive biomarkers as well as effective pattern classification/feature selection approaches. In this paper, we propose a systematic methodology to discriminate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients from healthy controls on the individual level. Multiple neuroimaging markers that are proved to be sensitive features are identified, which include multiscale characteristics extracted from blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signals, such as regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations. Functional connectivity derived from Pearson, partial, and spatial correlation is also utilized to reflect the abnormal patterns of functional integration, or, dysconnectivity syndromes in the brain. These neuroimaging markers are calculated on either voxel or regional level. Advanced feature selection approach is then designed, including a brain-wise association study (BWAS). Using identified features and proper feature integration, a support vector machine (SVM) classifier can achieve a cross-validated classification accuracy of 76.15% across individuals from a large dataset consisting of 141 healthy controls and 98 ADHD patients, with the sensitivity being 63.27% and the specificity being 85.11%. Our results show that the most discriminative features for classification are primarily associated with the frontal and cerebellar regions. The proposed methodology is expected to improve clinical diagnosis and evaluation of treatment for ADHD patient, and to have wider applications in diagnosis of general neuropsychiatric disorders

Practitioner review: pathways to care for ADHD - a systematic review of barriers and facilitators

Background. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder starting in childhood that may persist into adulthood. It can be managed through carefully monitored medication and nonpharmacological interventions. Access to care for children at risk of ADHD varies both within and between countries. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the research evidence related to factors which influence children accessing services for ADHD

The Role of Neurocognitive Tests in the Assessment of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Despite widespread recognition that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, optimal methods of diagnosis among adults remain elusive. Substantial overlap between ADHD symptoms and cognitive symptoms of other mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, and concerns about validity in symptom reporting have made the use of neuropsychological tests in ADHD diagnostic assessment appealing. However, past work exploring the potential diagnostic utility of neuropsychological tests among adults has often relied on a relatively small subset of tests, has failed to include symptom and performance validity measures, and often does not include comparison groups of participants with commonly comorbid disorders, such as depression. The current study examined the utility of an extensive neuropsychological measure battery for diagnosing ADHD among adults. Two hundred forty-six participants (109 ADHD, 52 depressed, 85 nondisordered controls) completed a multistage screening and assessment process, which included a clinical interview, self, and informant report on behavior rating scales, performance and symptom validity measures, and an extensive neuropsychological testing battery. Results indicated that measures of working memory, sustained attention, response speed, and variability best discriminated ADHD and non-ADHD participants. While single test measures provided performed poorly in identifying ADHD participants, analyses revealed that a combined approach using self and informant symptom ratings, positive family history of ADHD, and a reaction time (RT) variability measure correctly classified 87% of cases. Findings suggest that neuropsychological test measures used in conjunction with other clinical assessments may enhance prediction of adult ADHD diagnoses