Attention Deficit Hyper- Activity

Disorder (ADHD)
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (4th edition, text
revision) (DSM-IV-TR), ADHD is a pervasive pattern of inattention,
impulsivity, and/or hyperactivityimpulsivity that is more frequent
and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a com-parable
level of development. (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p.
78) (Friend, 2014, p. 175).
Subgroups or Types
(ADHD) Predominantly (ADHD) Predominantly (ADHD) Combined Type
Inattentive Type Hyperactive- Impulsive
Type
These are the students who These students
are the so called day These students, so called tend to show signs of both
dreamers. They may seem cant put on the brakes. types; Predominantly
forgetful at home and at They tend to move, wiggle Inattentive and
school, they also tend to and talk more often (Friend, Predominantly Hyperactive-
struggle with organization 2014, p. 176). Impulsive (Friend, 2014, p.
(Friend, 2014, p. 176). 176).

Cognitive Characteristics
The cognitive characteristics of students with ADHD are thought to be directly related to the unusual
features of their brains. Interestingly, the parts of the brain that are different in individuals with ADHD
are those known to regulate attention (Friend, 2014, p. 182).
Barkley (2006) suggests that executive functions can be classed into these four mental activities
that operate interactively (Friend, 2014, p. 182):
Working Memory- This is what gives students the ability to recall past events and learn from previous
encounters. Students with ADHD struggle with recalling past events (Friend, 2014, p. 182).
Self- Directed Speech- This is what allows us to solve problems and keep our minds on track with a
task at hand. For students with ADHD, they struggle with being able to keep themselves on track
(Friend, 2014, p. 183).
Control of Emotions and Motivation- Students with ADHD sometimes struggle with having control of
their emotions. If they are faced with a frustrating task they may get so frustrated that they cannot
just take a deep breath and calm themselves down. Often when this happens students with ADHD will
release their frustration through tantrums or outbursts (Friend, 2014, p. 183).
Reconstitution (planning)- Refers to the ability for both analysis and synthesis. Analysis is the skill of
breaking down what is observed into component parts; synthesis is the skill of combining parts in
order to perform new actions (Friend, 2014, p. 183). This is what allows for students to figure
somethings out for themselves so that teachers do not always have to teach examples of every skill
this is something that students with ADHD might also struggle with (Friend, 2014, p. 183).

Academic Characteristics
Academic characteristics of students with ADHD can vary tremendously. Some students with ADHD
also are gifted or talented, and educators may find that they need both to challenge these students
and to assist them to focus their unique abilities (Assouline & Whiteman, 2011) (Friend, 2014, p.
184).

Social and Emotional Characteristics

Self-Esteem- refers to a persons overall regard for himself or herself as a person. Those who think
highly of themselves or eel that they have many strengths are known to have a high self-esteem.
Those who think badly about themselves or feel they have many weaknesses are known as having a
negative self-esteem (Friend, 2014,p. 186).
Social- Functioning- This is how we act when we are in different social settings. For example, you
know to talk quietly when you are in a library but once you go outside you can use your outside
voice. Students with ADHD struggle with knowing how to act in different situations (Friend, 2014, p.
187).

Behavioral Characteristics
Students with ADHD exhibit an array of disruptive behaviors well known to educators. Reis (Reis,
2002, p. 175) includes these:
Failure to closely attend to details or making careless mistakes in schoolwork
Failure to complete schoolwork
Failure to listen when spoken to directly
Difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Avoidance of, dislike of, or reluctance to engage in tasks that require sustained effort, such as schoolwork or
homework (Friend, 2014, p. 188).

Recommended Educational Practices

There are many educational practices that are recommended for students with ADHD but two that
will be mentioned are behavior and instructional interventions.
Behavior Intervention- many students with ADHD can be taught to use self-monitoring as a means of
understanding and then reducing inappropriate behavior, such as calling out answers, and increasing
appropriate behavior, such as working on assignments until they are completed (Friend, 2014, p.
200).
Instructional Intervention- should be designed to provide structure, brisk pace, and variety (Friend,
2014, p. 201). Some examples include; if students have long or difficult assignments it could be
helpful to break the assignment up into smaller tasks. Another example would be to have students
repeat directions that you give them back to you (Friend, 2014, p. 201).

Additional Resources
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/02/easing-adhd.aspx
The American Psychological Association has articles about how to help those with ADHD besides
using medications. It also gives information about different programs that are available for parents
and teachers.
http://www.chadd.org/
CHADD is a national resource on ADHD. This website contains information in regards to different
training events that parents and teachers can go to. There is also a place on this website where you
can find information on dates and times for events such as ask an expert.
https://soarnc.org/soar-adhd-summer-camp/
Soar offers summer camps for students with ADHD as well as other outdoor activities. They also offer
family weekend adventures where parents and families get to participate in activities with their child.

Resource
Friend, Marilyn. (2014). Special Education: contemporary perspectives for school
professionals. 4th Edition. Pearson Publishing.