Summary #8 ADHD and autism spectrum disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders
= conditions characterized by an early onset and persistent course that are believed to be
the result of disruptions to normal brain development.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
= persistent pattern of difficulty sustaining attention, impulsivity, excessive/exaggerated
motor activity.
Hyperactivity: a higher than normal level of activity
Impulsivity: act of reacting to a situation without considering the consequences
Specification of ADHD
1. Combined presentation: meet 6 criteria for both A & B
2. Predominantly inattentive presentation: meet 6 criteria for A, <6 criteria for B
3. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation: 6 criteria for B, <6 criteria for A
, ADHD in general & epidemiology
- Childhood onset
- IQ generally 7-15 points lower than average
- Neuropsychological test deficits
- Highly comorbid with
Learning disabilities (20-25%)
Oppositional defiant disorder
= recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior
toward authority figures
Conduct disorders (45-60%)
Anxiety/depression at a slightly higher rate amongst ADHD’ers
In case of comorbidity = worse prognosis.
- 12 years is the limit of onset
- High risk of problems at school (disruptive behavior)
- High risk of social impairment (viewed negatively due to disruptive behavior & often
fail to understand intentions of peers, unable to show correct social response)
- Inability to restrain self
- In many cases association with: violation of social norms, basic rights of others
- Aging attenuates symptoms. 50% will continue to have symptoms into adulthood
- Controversy about cultural impact: do prevalence rates vary because of
interpretation of deviant behavior? or do prevalence rates vary because of the
culture itself?
cultural contexts do have an important influence on whether ADHD symptoms are
detected and reported
- 5% of school-age children are diagnosed
- 2.5% of adults are diagnosed
- More common is boys than in girls
May be because of overdiagnosis of boys and under diagnosis of girls (in girls
ADHD usually manifests as inattentive presentation, rather than the stereotypical
hyperactivity)
Boys are more often referred to psychologist due to disruptive behavior (the
squeaky wheel gets the oil)
- TOM deficits
=ability to understand one’s own and other’s mental states. However, there are some
inconsistent findings.
ADHD executive functioning deficits may give rise to some social deficits
ADHD in adulthood
Symptoms persist into young adulthood in 50% of the cases.
Expression of ADHD manifests itself differently
Inattention in 95% of the cases
Hyperactivity in 35% of the cases
Adults with ADHD
- + substance use
- + antisocial personality disorder
- + mood/anxiety disorder
- + marital problems
Neurodevelopmental disorders
= conditions characterized by an early onset and persistent course that are believed to be
the result of disruptions to normal brain development.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
= persistent pattern of difficulty sustaining attention, impulsivity, excessive/exaggerated
motor activity.
Hyperactivity: a higher than normal level of activity
Impulsivity: act of reacting to a situation without considering the consequences
Specification of ADHD
1. Combined presentation: meet 6 criteria for both A & B
2. Predominantly inattentive presentation: meet 6 criteria for A, <6 criteria for B
3. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation: 6 criteria for B, <6 criteria for A
, ADHD in general & epidemiology
- Childhood onset
- IQ generally 7-15 points lower than average
- Neuropsychological test deficits
- Highly comorbid with
Learning disabilities (20-25%)
Oppositional defiant disorder
= recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior
toward authority figures
Conduct disorders (45-60%)
Anxiety/depression at a slightly higher rate amongst ADHD’ers
In case of comorbidity = worse prognosis.
- 12 years is the limit of onset
- High risk of problems at school (disruptive behavior)
- High risk of social impairment (viewed negatively due to disruptive behavior & often
fail to understand intentions of peers, unable to show correct social response)
- Inability to restrain self
- In many cases association with: violation of social norms, basic rights of others
- Aging attenuates symptoms. 50% will continue to have symptoms into adulthood
- Controversy about cultural impact: do prevalence rates vary because of
interpretation of deviant behavior? or do prevalence rates vary because of the
culture itself?
cultural contexts do have an important influence on whether ADHD symptoms are
detected and reported
- 5% of school-age children are diagnosed
- 2.5% of adults are diagnosed
- More common is boys than in girls
May be because of overdiagnosis of boys and under diagnosis of girls (in girls
ADHD usually manifests as inattentive presentation, rather than the stereotypical
hyperactivity)
Boys are more often referred to psychologist due to disruptive behavior (the
squeaky wheel gets the oil)
- TOM deficits
=ability to understand one’s own and other’s mental states. However, there are some
inconsistent findings.
ADHD executive functioning deficits may give rise to some social deficits
ADHD in adulthood
Symptoms persist into young adulthood in 50% of the cases.
Expression of ADHD manifests itself differently
Inattention in 95% of the cases
Hyperactivity in 35% of the cases
Adults with ADHD
- + substance use
- + antisocial personality disorder
- + mood/anxiety disorder
- + marital problems
