Chapter 8: ADHD

inattention

inability to stick to tasks or play activities and to resist distractions

distractibility

term used to describe deficits in ability to concentrate exclusively on relevant stimuli

attentional capacity

amount of information in short-term memory to which on can attend

hyperactive

person with an unusually high level of energy and an inability to remain still

sustained attention

ability to maintain a persistent focus over time on unchallenging, uninteresting activities or when fatigued

selective attention

ability to concentrate exclusively on relevant stimuli and ignore task-irrelevant stimuli in the environment

inattentive

inability to focus or sustain one’s focus

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

condition marked by age-inappropriate distraction and impulsivity, resulting in significant impairment in life functioning

impulsive

person who is prone to acting with little or no consideration of possible consequences

alerting

initial reaction to a stimulus involving the ability to prepare for what is about to happen

inattention

inability to stick to tasks or play activities and to resist distractions

distractibility

term used to describe deficits in ability to concentrate exclusively on relevant stimuli

hyperactivity-impulsivity

inability to inhibit dominant responses in relation to ongoing situational demands

presentation type

group of individuals with something in common that makes them distinct from other groups

predominantly inattentive presentation (ADHD-PI)

condition in which children appear easily distracted, careless, not listening, unfocused, disorganized, adn forgetful

predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation (ADHD-HI)

condition in which children don’t have trouble focusing but are likely to be aggressive and defiant

combined presentation (ADHD-C)

condition in which children are both easily distracted and aggressive and defiant

sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT)

cluster of symptoms including sleepy, lethargic, easily confused, in a fog, unmotivated, adn apathetic

executive function (EF)

higher-order mental process enabling a child to maintain a problem-solving orientation to attain a future goal

positive bias (positive illusory bias)

person’s report of higher self-esteem than is warranted by his or her behaviour

quality of life

person’s subjective perception of their situation as evidence by physical, psychological, adn social functioning

developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

condition characterized by marked motor clumsiness and delays in achieving motor milestones

tic disorders

set of conditions characterized by sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic motor movements or sounds

frontostriatal circuitry of the brain

region consisting of the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia associated with executive functions and response organization

goodness of fit

extent to which two things are suited

stimulant medications

class of drugs commonly used for the management of symptoms of ADHD and its impairments

methylphenidate

drug most commonly used in treating children with ADHD

parent management training (PMT)

program aimed at teaching mothers and fathers to cope effectively with their child’s difficult behaviour

response-cost procedure

technique for managing a subject’s behaviour involving the loss of reinforcers following inappropriate behaviour