Peer Problems Among Postinstitutionalized,Internationally Adopted Children: Relations to Hypocortisolism,Parenting Quality,and ADHD Symptoms

Seventy-eight postinstitutionalized (PI) children adopted at ages 17–36 months were assessed 2, 8, 16, and 24 months postadoption on measures of cortisol and parenting quality, and compared to same-aged children adopted from foster care (FC, n = 45) and nonadopted children (NA, n = 45). In kindergarten (M_age = 6.0 years), teachers, parents, and trained observers completed measures of peer relationships and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. PI children had more peer problems and ADHD symptoms according to teachers and observers than NA children with FC children in between, whereas both PI and FC children were at significantly greater risk of hypocortisolism (i.e., blunted cortisol diurnal rhythm and reactivity). Hypocortisolism and ADHD symptoms mediated the association between preadoption adversity and peer difficulties. Higher postadoption parenting quality was protective.     

Parental perceptions of adverse educational outcomes among children diagnosed and treated for ADHD: A call for improved school/provider collaboration

An Erratum has been published for this article in Psychology in the Schools 42(2) 2005, 227 [ ]. This research utilized parent report to examine the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), related treatment, and associated educational outcomes among elementary school children in southeastern Virginia. In a representative sample of elementary school children, 17% had been diagnosed with ADHD. The majority of diagnosed children had been medicated for ADHD (84%). More than one third of students taking medication had received no other interventions for ADHD. Over half of the diagnosed students received behavioral therapy and almost half received a combination of medical and behavioral interventions. Children diagnosed with ADHD were 3 to 7 times ( p values < 0.001) more likely than other children to receive special education, be expelled or suspended, and repeat a grade. Based on parental opinion, children diagnosed with ADHD are at high risk for school failure. Results are discussed in terms of distinctions between clinical efficacy/effectiveness and schoolwide and public health interventions implemented in the study region. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Symptoms,Social Media Use Intensity,and Social Media Use Problems in Adolescents: Investigating Directionality

Cross-sectional research shows that adolescents’ social media use (SMU) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-symptoms are related, but it is unclear whether this relation is explained by SMU intensity or by addiction-like SMU problems. Also, due to the lack of longitudinal studies, the direction of this relation remains unknown. This study aims to disentangle which type of SMU is related to ADHD-symptoms, and in which direction, using a three-wave longitudinal study among Dutch adolescents aged 11–15 years (n = 543). Findings suggest a unidirectional relation: SMU problems increased ADHD-symptoms over time, SMU intensity did not. This implies that problematic use, rather than the intensity of use harmfully affects adolescents’ ADHD-symptoms.     

Peer Problems and Hyperactivity–Impulsivity Among Norwegian and American Children: The Role of 5‐HTTLPR

Peer problems are linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and the serotonin system is thought to be involved in ADHD‐related behavior. Hence, from a Gene × Environment perspective, the serotonin transporter 5‐HTTLPR may play a moderating role. In two large community samples, the moderating role of 5‐HTTLPR was examined related to more hyperactivity–impulsivity symptoms (HI symptoms) predicted by more peer problems. In Study 1, involving 642 Norwegian children, results indicated that for s‐allele carriers only, caregiver‐reported peer problems at age 4 predicted more parent‐reported HI symptoms at age 6. In Study 2, similar results emerged involving 482 American children. Discussion focuses on differential sensitivity to the adverse effects of poor peer relations.     

Time-of-day matters in text learning and recall: Evening lessons are advantageous for adults with ADHD though not for typical peers

Motor skill (“how-to” knowledge) consolidation is enhanced when individuals with ADHD practice at evening. We tested, in adults with and without ADHD, whether evening lessons are advantageous for recalling texts (declarative memory). Participants (N = 40) listened to and read narrative texts in morning and evening lessons (crossover study). Recall was tested immediately post-lesson and 24 h and 8–10 days later. Recall tended to decrease over time but independently of ADHD status or the time-of-day of the lesson. Nevertheless, typical participants showed a morning advantage immediately post-lesson and in later recall, correlated with stronger morning chronotype. In contrast, participants with ADHD benefited more from evening lessons; nearer their preferred time-of-day. In adults with ADHD long-term declarative memory was no less durable than in typical adults after both morning and evening lessons, but a mismatch with their preferred diurnal “on-peak” time can lead to less effective engagement in learning during morning lessons.     

The ADHD Classroom Kit: A whole-classroom approach for managing disruptive behavior

In this article, an inclusive treatment package for children with ADHD, The ADHD Classroom Kit (Kit), is described. Components of the Kit are categorized in three areas: consequences for appropriate behavior, consequences for inappropriate behavior, and peer-mediated interventions. The empirical rationale for each component of the Kit is discussed. Also, a case study of a 6-year-old girl (Carol) with reported disruptive behavior problems is presented as preliminary data supporting the Kit's effectiveness. An A-B-A reversal design was used in Carol's classroom. Mean frequencies of appropriate behavior were 61.3% (baseline), 78.5% (Kit), and 70.7% (reversal). In addition, mean frequencies of on-task behavior were 76.2% (baseline), 87.8% (Kit), and 82.5% (reversal). Implications for future research and practice with the Kit are addressed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Language skills,mathematical thinking,and achievement motivation in children with ADHD,disruptive behavior disorders,and normal controls

Recent models of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggest that the association between achievement motivation and school performance may be stronger in children with ADHD than in typically developing children. Therefore, the present study investigated associations between achievement motivation and performance on language skills and mathematical thinking in children with ADHD (n = 23; M = 9.4 years, SD = 1.1 years; 78% boys) and two matched control groups, i.e., a clinical control group (children with related disruptive behavior disorders; DBD), and a non-clinical control group (NC). Results confirmed stronger associations between achievement motivation and performance on receptive language and mathematical thinking in children with ADHD than in NC. Specifically, performance of children with ADHD was equal to NC for highly motivated ADHD children. These results underscore the importance of achievement motivation as a more essential key factor in the performance of children with ADHD as compared to typically developing children.     

Knowledge and Misperceptions about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Among School Teachers in Mumbai,India

Teachers play an important role in the diagnosis and management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There are no published studies on Indian teachers’ knowledge of ADHD. In the present study, the aim was to assess knowledge and misperceptions about ADHD among schoolteachers in Mumbai. A total of 106 teachers from 12 English-medium schools completed the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale and a demographic questionnaire. Overall, the teachers lacked adequate knowledge of ADHD, with only 49% of the responses being correct. Repeated measures ANOVA results indicated that the teachers’ scores on the three subscales of the measure were significantly different (F = 7.96, p < .01), with the score being highest on the symptoms subscale. In conclusion, teachers in Mumbai need training on general information and treatment of ADHD, with a focus on correcting common misperceptions that they have with regards to ADHD.     

The Effect of Stereoscopic Augmented Reality Visualization on Learning Anatomy and the Modifying Effect of Visual-Spatial Abilities: A Double-Center Randomized Controlled Trial

Monoscopically projected three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology may have significant disadvantages for students with lower visual-spatial abilities despite its overall effectiveness in teaching anatomy. Previous research suggests that stereopsis may facilitate a better comprehension of anatomical knowledge. This study evaluated the educational effectiveness of stereoscopic augmented reality (AR) visualization and the modifying effect of visual-spatial abilities on learning. In a double-center randomized controlled trial, first- and second-year (bio)medical undergraduates studied lower limb anatomy with stereoscopic 3D AR model (n = 20), monoscopic 3D desktop model (n = 20), or two-dimensional (2D) anatomical atlas (n = 18). Visual-spatial abilities were tested with Mental Rotation Test (MRT), Paper Folding Test (PFT), and Mechanical Reasoning (MR) Test. Anatomical knowledge was assessed by the validated 30-item paper posttest. The overall posttest scores in the stereoscopic 3D AR group (47.8%) were similar to those in the monoscopic 3D desktop group (38.5%; P = 0.240) and the 2D anatomical atlas group (50.9%; P = 1.00). When stratified by visual-spatial abilities test scores, students with lower MRT scores achieved higher posttest scores in the stereoscopic 3D AR group (49.2%) as compared to the monoscopic 3D desktop group (33.4%; P = 0.015) and similar to the scores in the 2D group (46.4%; P = 0.99). Participants with higher MRT scores performed equally well in all conditions. It is instrumental to consider an aptitude–treatment interaction caused by visual-spatial abilities when designing research into 3D learning. Further research is needed to identify contributing features and the most effective way of introducing this technology into current educational programs.     

Parental Involvement Moderates Etiological Influences on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Behaviors in Child Twins

Although few would now contest the presence of Gene × Environment (G × E) effects in the development of child psychopathology, it remains unclear how these effects manifest themselves. Alternative G × E models have been proposed (i.e., diathesis–stress, differential susceptibility, bioecological), each of which has notably different implications for etiology. Child twin studies present a powerful tool for discriminating between these models. The current study examined whether and how parental involvement moderated etiological influences on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within 500 twin pairs aged 6–11 years. Results indicated moderation of genetic and nonshared environmental contributions to ADHD by parental involvement, and moreover, suggested both differential susceptibility and bioecological models of G × E. Results highlight the utility of child twin samples in testing different manifestations of G × E effects.     

Paid maternal leave is associated with infant brain function at 3 months of age

The first months of life are critical for establishing neural connections relevant for social and cognitive development. Yet, the United States lacks a national policy of paid family leave during this important period of brain development. This study examined associations between paid leave and infant electroencephalography (EEG) at 3 months in a sociodemographically diverse sample of families from New York City (N = 80; 53 males; 48% Latine; data collection occurred 05/2018–12/2019). Variable-centered regression results indicate that paid leave status was related to differences in EEG power (ps < .02, R²s > .12). Convergent results from person-centered latent profile analyses demonstrate that mothers with paid leave were 7.39 times as likely to have infants with EEG profiles characterized by increased higher-Hz power (95% CI, 1.9–36.9), potentially reflecting more mature patterns of brain activity.     

Emotion,understanding, and social skills among boys at risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

There is growing interest in the role of emotional competence in middle school children's adjustment and functioning, yet many populations remain underresearched. Few studies have explored the emotional competence, especially emotion understanding, of children with, or at risk of, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and even fewer have examined the role emotion understanding plays in these children's social skills. Our study investigates a profile of the emotion understanding capacities of Israeli boys at risk of ADHD and evaluates its association with their social skills. One hundred and fifty‐two boys (grades 4–6) were each assigned to an at‐risk (n = 66) or comparison (n = 86) group based on their scores on an ADHD symptoms questionnaire (Conners Rating System–Revised). The two groups were matched on age, socioeconomic status and class, and school environment. Group comparisons revealed that relative to their non–at‐risk counterparts, at‐risk boys demonstrated less mature emotion understanding. Finally, our findings indicate that poor emotion understanding plays a more notable role in the social functioning of at‐risk than non–at‐risk children. This study's contribution to the understanding and school treatment of children with ADHD emotional and social competencies is discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The importance of self-regulation: a mediator of early socio-emotional difficulties on later socio-emotional and relational outcomes

Research suggests that a childhood diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with poorer teacher–child relationship quality and higher rates of externalising behaviours. It is proposed that the socio-emotional problems experienced by those children with ASD and/or ADHD lead to poor teacher–child relationship quality and an increase in externalising behaviours. It is also proposed that self-regulation skills and language ability may mediate these relationships. Data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) from 5107 participants whose ages ranged from 2 to 3, 6 to 7 and 10 to 11 years were used for these analyses. Outcome variables were teacher–child relationship quality and externalising behaviours. There were direct effects between ADHD/ASD and externalising behaviours (SDQ). Externalising behaviours were also fully mediated by self-regulation. All other models showed significant partial mediation. Findings suggest that language was not significantly related to either outcome variable. These results support the conclusion that self-regulation is a protective factor for those diagnosed with ASD and other disorders with associated socio-emotional problems such as ADHD. Results also suggest that a focus on self-regulation skills in educational programs has the potential to improve socio-relational outcomes for all children with socio-emotional difficulties.     

Cognitive profiling in Chinese developmental dyslexia with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders

The cognitive profiles of children with Developmental Reading Disorder (RD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) have been extensively studied in alphabetic language communities. Deficits in phonological processing and rapid naming have been implicated as core features of RD although whether the latter is a deficit specific to RD remains controversial. Similar research aiming to explore the cognitive profiles of children with both RD and ADHD in non-alphabetic language communities is limited. The specificity of rapid naming deficit to RD among Chinese has yet to be studied. In the first study, 43 Chinese children with confirmed diagnoses of RD + ADHD were assessed on their cognitive abilities in relating to reading. In the second study, the specificity deficit hypothesis of rapid naming to RD but not ADHD was examined. A digit naming test was administered to the RD + ADHD group (43 subjects) and an ADHD only group (49 subjects). In regard to cognitive profiling, rapid naming and orthographic knowledge were found to be the most common deficits among the Chinese RD + ADHD group. This co-morbid group was also found to have a significant deficit performance on the rapid naming task than the ADHD only group. The present findings support the double dissociation hypothesis in cognitive deficit between RD and ADHD. The results of both studies are discussed with reference to the findings of the Western counterparts.     

Directionality in the interrelations between approximate number,verbal number,and mathematics in preschool-aged children

A fundamental question in numerical development concerns the directional relation between an early-emerging non-verbal approximate number system (ANS) and culturally acquired verbal number and mathematics knowledge. Using path models on longitudinal data collected in preschool children (M_age = 3.86 years; N = 216; 99 males; 80.8% White; 10.8% Multiracial, 3.8% Latino; 1.9% Black; collected 2013–2017) over 1 year, this study showed that earlier verbal number knowledge was associated with later ANS precision (average β = .32), even after controlling for baseline differences in numerical, general cognitive, and language abilities. In contrast, earlier ANS precision was not associated with later verbal number knowledge (β = −.07) or mathematics abilities (average β = .10). These results suggest that learning about verbal numbers is associated with a sharpening of pre-existing non-verbal numerical abilities.     

Examining the Motivation of Health Profession Students to Study Human Anatomy

Students' motivation is a vital determinant of academic performance that is influenced by the learning environment. This study aimed to assess and analyze the motivation subscales between different cohorts (chiropractic, dental, medical) of anatomy students (n = 251) and to investigate if these subscales had an effect on the students' anatomy performance. A 31-item survey, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire was utilized, covering items on intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control of learning belief, self-efficiency for learning and performance, and test anxiety. First-year dental students were significantly more anxious than chiropractic students. Second-year chiropractic students attached more value to anatomy education than second-year medical students. The outcome of this research demonstrated a significant relationship between first- and second-year chiropractic students between anatomy performance and motivation subscales controlling for gender such as self-efficacy for learning and performance was (β = 8, CI: 5.18–10.8, P < 0.001) and (β = 6.25, CI: 3.40–9.10, P < 0.001) for first year and second year, respectively. With regards to intrinsic goal orientation, it was (β = 4.02, CI: 1.19–6.86, P = 0.006) and (β = 5.38, CI: 2.32–8.44, P = 0.001) for first year and second year, respectively. For the control of learning beliefs, it was (β = 3.71, 95% CI: 0.18–7.25, P = 0.04) and (β = 3.07, CI: 0.03–6.12, P = 0.048) for first year and second year, respectively. Interventions aimed at improving these motivation subscales in students could boost their anatomy performance.     

Reading motivational differences among groups: Reading disability (RD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), RD + ADHD,and typical comparison

This study assessed the reading motivation of 133 students at individual grade levels (2nd–5th), who were divided in subgroups with and without reading disabilities/difficulties (RD) and with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Major findings were that students in the RD subgroup had lower reading motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic, and self-efficacy) and read less for enjoyment than the nondisability (ND) group; students in the combined group (ADHD + RD) showed these motivational deficits in earlier grade levels. However, students with ADHD did not differ from the ND group in reading motivation, and children with RD (with and without ADHD) were equivalent to ND in social motivation up to the 5th grade. Implications of these findings were (a) social reading is an instructional pathway for both groups of students with RD, (b) assessments of reading motivation, in addition to reading skill, may be important in assessing responses to intervention, and (c) motivational interventions should be implemented early before motivational responses become a motivational style.     

Early Crying,Sleeping, and Feeding Problems and Trajectories of Attention Problems From Childhood to Adulthood

This study investigated if crying, sleeping or feeding problems that co-occur (multiple regulatory problems [RPs]) or are persistent predict attention problems and diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood and adulthood. Participants were 342 individuals who were assessed at 5, 20, and 56 months for crying, sleeping, and feeding (RPs) and at 6, 8, and 28 years for ADHD diagnoses, attention problems, and attention span. Infants/toddlers with multiple/persistent RPs had an increased risk of receiving an ADHD diagnosis both in childhood and adulthood compared to those who never had RPs. Multiple/persistent RPs were further associated with a high-decreasing attention problems trajectory from childhood to adulthood. Interventions to alleviate early RPs may prevent the development of attention problems.     

Early manifestations of intellectual performance: Evidence that genetic effects on later academic test performance are mediated through verbal performance in early childhood

Intellectual performance is highly heritable and robustly predicts lifelong health and success but the earliest manifestations of genetic effects on this asset are not well understood. This study examined whether early executive function (EF) or verbal performance mediate genetic influences on subsequent intellectual performance, in 561 U.S.-based adoptees (57% male) and their birth and adoptive parents (70% and 92% White, 13% and 4% African American, 7% and 2% Latinx, respectively), administered measures in 2003–2017. Genetic influences on children's academic performance at 7 years were mediated by verbal performance at 4.5 years (β = .22, 95% CI [0.08, 0.35], p = .002) and not via EF, indicating that verbal performance is an early manifestation of genetic propensity for intellectual performance.