For IEC4020 activity 3

1. IEC 4020: ADHD
Section Three
Life Challenges: Cognitive, motor
and social implications

2. What does ADHD means for a child?
ADHD
Behaviour and
health risk
Cognitive and
Academic Problems
Difficulties in Social
Relationship

3. Cognitive problems in ADHD
•Research indicates that persons with ADHD are
likely to exhibit 3 types of interrelated cognitive
problems:
Executive Function
Working Memory
Speed of Processing Information

4. Poor EF function for ADHD at home and
school

5. Poor EF function for ADHD at home and
school
Problems seen in:
•Getting started on complex task
•Holding instructions in mind while completing multi-
step tasks
•Completing tasks: trying to organize & complete
several tasks within a specified time

6. Poor EF function for ADHD at home and
school
Problems seen in:
•Monitoring errors in terms motor (e.g, writing,
movement etc) and cognitive function (e.g.,
calculation, reading etc)
•Monitoring how one’s actions
affect others in social context
•Reasoning through social
and academic problems

7. Poor working memory and social
interactions/activities in ADHD
Problems seen in:
•Keeping track of a conversation
Who said what?
To whom?
who asked what?
•Keeping track of a game
Whose turn is next?
What cards have already gone?
What stage the game is at?

8. Slow Processing Speed in ADHD
•Children with ADHD may move fast
BUT
research shows that person with ADHD are slow &
inconsistent in processing information
Slower and more variable in responding
Slow and inaccurate when completing a task

9. Interrelated impairments
EF impairment
Academic
impairment
Inattention
Slow
processing
speed

10. What does ADHD mean for family?
ADHD is a ‘family affair”
Can be stressful for everyone
in the family

11. ADHD: Impact on parents
 Parents typically spend more time helping the
child with ADHD to:
get up and dressed in the morning
get ready for school in morning
complete homework
get ready for bed at night
 High levels of stress, frustration, & exhaustion are
often reported by these parents
 Can stress marital relationship

12. ADHD: impact on siblings
•Siblings may have some similar but milder
difficulties
•ADHD can result in disruption in family and sibling
relationship (Kendall, 1999).

13. Social functioning in ADHD
 In normal development, social skills are generally acquired
through incidental learning:
watching people, copying the behavior of others,
practicing, and getting feedback.
Usually start this process during early childhood.
Social skills are practiced and honed by "playing
grown-up" and through other childhood activities.
Finer points of social interactions are sharpened by
observation and peer feedback.
 Children with ADHD often miss the details, and they may
pick up bits and pieces of what is appropriate but lack an
overall view of social expectations.

14. Social Functioning in ADHD
 Children with ADHD experience significant social
difficulties
 Approximately 50–60% of Children with ADHD experience
rejection by their peers (Barkley, 1990)
 13–16% of children in primary school classrooms are
rejected (Terry & Coie, 1991).
 Many Children with ADHD are disliked within minutes of
the initial social interaction (Pelham & Bender, 1982) and
were then denied further opportunities to practice social
skills which, in part, leads to further rejection (Landau et
al., 1998).

15. Specific ADHD play behaviours linked to rejection
by peers include:
Bossy
Intrusive
Inflexible
Controlling
Annoying
Explosive
Argumentative
Easily frustrated
Inattentive during
organized sports/games
Violating the rules of
the game

16. Poor social function and outcomes
 Difficulty making friends:
Children with ADHD often do not notice how
their behaviour affects other people.
They may interrupt others and have trouble
filtering what they say and this could irritate
others.
 Difficulty retaining friends:
Children with ADHD can be very intense and
demanding without realizing it. Difficulty with
taking turns and waiting for things can cause
friendships to burn out.

17. Poor social function and outcomes
 Struggle with conversation:
Children with ADHD can easily lose the thread
of conversation, misinterpret what others are
saying and become distracted by unrelated
thoughts.
Difficulty taking turns may result in even harder
to be an equal participant
 Over-react to situation:
 Children with ADHD struggle with self-
control. May lash out physically when upset,
or have meltdowns which is inappropriate for
the age

18. Poor social function and outcomes
 Interacting successfully with peers and significant
adults is one of the most important aspects of a
child's development
 Negative social interaction and poor interpersonal
outcome can result in emotional difficulties and
low self-esteem in children with ADHD
 These outcomes can also contribute to the
development of comorbid mood and anxiety
disorders.

19. ADHD in Adults
 On average, adults with ADHD have more
difficulty achieving in school and in their
employment.
 They are:
 less likely to go on to higher education
 are more likely to be employed in skilled labour
positions
 More likely to change jobs often.
 Adults with ADHD may do better in occupations
that are fast-paced and involve risk-taking and an
outgoing style of communication.

20. ADHD in adults
 They will continue to experience social difficulties
 They are likely to have problem with maintaining
relationship (esp. romantic relationship)
 Adults with ADHD who become parents are more likely to
have children who also have ADHD.
This is a double challenge for themthey must manage
own ADHD symptoms and help their child to manage
theirs.
ADHD can interfere with parenting and effective use of
parenting strategies
Children with ADHD require greater need for a parent
who has a clear and consistent parenting style, to
establish routines and structure in the home

21. ADHD in adults
Without treatment /intervention, adults with ADHD will
continue to experience cognitive, motor and social
difficulties in life.

22. End of section three
Your Task:
Please complete the quiz before moving
on to section four of the lecture.