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What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a very common disorder among children, and it has only increased throughout the years. “It is estimated that 3-5% of children have ADHD, accounting for approximately 2 million children in the United States” (Mattox, 2007). Mattox (2007) also makes note that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD because they display more aggressive behaviors than girls do, which results in girls being diagnosed at a later age. The current diagnostic criterion for ADHD primarily focuses on significant hyperactivity and inattention. Aside from those two, in order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD the DSM-IV says symptoms must show begin to show before the age of seven, show impairment in two …show more content…

He came up with what he called the neurodevelopment model, in which “problems in neural development, caused primarily by genetic and early biological risks, lead to problems with behavior later in life” (Weis, 2008). Abandoning common beliefs, Barkley did not see inattention as the main struggle for children with ADHD. The foundation for his theory was the idea of behavioral inhibition. This refers to the resistance to respond urgently to a stimulus. In other words, Barkley believes that children with ADHD cannot easily control their impulsivity to respond. According to Barkley, behavioral inhibition supports the development of four basic executive functions: working memory, internalized speech, emotion regulation, and creative problem solving (Weis, 2008). The working memory allows us to set goals for the future by taking information from our previous experiences and applying it to the present. Children diagnosed with ADHD would have a hard time learning from mistakes in the past to avoid future problems. When a child acquires the executive function of internalized speech, he/she is able to think to their self to organize their thoughts, which consequently allows for a sense of control over his/her actions. The third executive function, emotion regulation, allows for children to think about the long-term compensation of something rather than the immediate effects. Children with ADHD are heavily

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