Attention-Deficit

Hyperactivity
Disorder
Regina Ramirez
HPS 405
 What is ADHD?

A long lasting psychiatric condition

Children
with multiple forms of treatment.
Typically associated with
inattentive behavior
impulsive behavior
physically restless behavior

Adolescents Adults
(Curatolo et al., 2010)
Genetic Environmental
Factors Factors

ADHD
(Curatolo et al., 2010)
Behavioral and
Cognitive Impact
problem solving
planning
orienting
alerting
cognitive flexibility
sustained attention
response inhibition
working memory
motivation
delay aversion
(Curatolo et al., 2010)
ADHD vs. The Brain
Abnormalities in the function of the cerebellum and
basal ganglia cause motor problems including:

poor handwriting
clumsy behavior
delays in reach motor related goals

(Curatolo et al., 2010)

Complex
Etiology
“A plausible genetic hypothesis for
ADHD is a mixture of dominant and
recessive genes that act with complex
polygenic transmission patterns”
(Curatolo et al., 2010).
Prevalence
6 million children from ages 3-17 have
been diagnosed with ADHD. (CDC, 2023)

ADHD globally affects 5% - 7.2% of youth

and 2.5% - 6.7% of adults. (Abdelnour et
al., 2022)

Lifetime prevalence: 8.7% (National

Institute of Mental Health)
Risk Factors
There is no exact known cause of
ADHD, however research shows that
genetics can have an influence on
ADHD diagnosis. This condition is
known to run in families potentially
through the gene DRD4.

(The Healthline Editorial Team, 2018)

Risk Factors
Neurotoxins including:
lead
organophophate pesticides

Research shows that there is a link

between these chemicals and ADHD
symptoms.

(The Healthline Editorial Team, 2018)

Risk Factors
Substance use during pregnancy including:
prenatal exposure to smoking
prenatal exposure to alcohol
prenatal exposure to drugs

(The Healthline Editorial Team, 2018)

Misconceptions
ADHD is NOT caused by:
excessive sugar consumption
television
excessive screen time
poverty
bad parenting

(The Healthline Editorial Team, 2018)

 Currently, ADHD is diagnosed
primarily based on subjective

Spatial measures, which tend to be

unreliable. Therefore it is crucial to

and/or implement an objective

measurement.

Temporal Research shows that adults with

ADHD have smaller oxygenated-
Patterns hemoglobin activations in the
prefrontal cortex. (Yamagata et al.,
2017).
 Different Populations
Affected by ADHD
Black children are more likely to be
diagnosed than white and hispanic
children. While there are contrary
stigmas stating that Black individuals
have a lower prevalence of ADHD.
(American Psychiatric Association, 2020)
 Black people face the same risk

Disparities factors, however other factors

including racial marginalization, low

Continued socioeconomic status, discrimination,

and micro agressions can make ADHD
symptoms worse. In order to reduce
… these disparities in ADHD diagnosis
and treatment increased ADHD
assessment and monitoring among
this population would help produce
accurate diagnosis and treatment for
black individuals (American
Psychiatric Association, 2020).
ADHD Impact Their risk for higher levels of low self-esteem
and self-confidence tend to impact their
at the relationships. Studies have shown that people
with this condition are more likely to be

Individual arrested, twice as likely to be divorces, more

like to be arrested, and less satisfied within
their family, social and professional
and relationships (Adult ADHD Clinic, 2022).

Interpersonal
Level
ADHD Impact at the
Institutional Level
In academic settings their increased risks for stress,
anxiety, and mood disorders often put them at a
disadvantage and make them susceptible to adversity.
(Antshel et al., 2023)
ADHD Impact at the
Public Policy Level
Diagnosis of ADHD in American children
increased by 42% in a timespan of 8 years,
and research suggests that this increase was
due to academic pressure from changes in
educational policies. (Carr, 2015)
NCLA vs. NSCH
Through their National Survey of Children’s Health,
the CDC found that the No Child Left Behind Act of
had and impact on ADHD prevalence.

From 2003 to 2007, children from low socio-

economic demographics had a 56% increase in ADHD
diagnostic prevalence. (Carr, 2015)
 Based on learning and/or strengthening
positive behaviors in order to reduce or
completely diminish problem or
disruptive behaviors.
Behavioral
behavior management
Intervention classroom interventions
peer interventions
behavior therapy
organization and skills
training

(CDC, 2023)
Medication
Intervention
Stimulants: 70-80% of children with ADHD have
alleviated their symptoms with stimulants.

Non-stimulants: These medications are not as fast-

acting as stimulants, and typically last no longer than
24 hrs.

(CDC, 2023)
References