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Essay On Adhd In Children

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EFFECTS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN BOYS
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 …show more content…

al., 2008). In the juvenile justice system, an estimated 45% to 75% of inhabitants are diagnosed with some sort of a mental disability (Shelton & Pearson, 2005). This staggering statistic goes unnoticed by most of the general population. An estimated 40% of untreated ADHD juveniles will be arrested by their sixteenth birthday. This is not a statistic to ignore. Many youth with this disorder are finding themselves incarcerated or arrested in early stages of life. There is research to conclude that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder could lead to higher rates of offending (Unnever et al., 2003). However, the effect that ADHD has on delinquency is not direct. This may lead to some confusion. Being diagnosed with ADHD is not an excuse for offending, but the symptoms and behaviors of a juvenile with this psychiatric disorder could lead to higher rates of offending if the juvenile is not receiving proper therapy and/or treatment. For example, having attention deficit/hyper activity disorder could lead to a hyperactive conduct disorder, a disorder that easily overlaps with ADHD in the Classification of Disorders (Von Polier, Vloet, & Herpertz-Dahlmann, 2012). A conduct disorder is a stronger predictor of juvenile delinquency, along with continued crime into adulthood (Byrd, Loeber, & Pardini, 2011). A juvenile with ADHD is

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