Lectures 11-12: Childhood Disorders

Question 1

What is the DSM’s perspective on the role of childhood symptoms in diagnosing ADHD in an
adult? How does this perspective clash with the longitudinal data presented in class?

Answer 1

• DSM says that ADHD symptoms must have been present in childhood!
• However, in a study of adults with ADHD, they did not have childhood ADHD (so there is possibly two diff types of ADHD - a neurodevelopment one and non-neurodevelopment one!)

Question 2

Which parts of the brain seem to be implicated in ADHD, and what types of behaviors do these
brain areas govern?

Answer 2

• frontal lobe
• basal ganglia
  has to do executive functioning

Question 3

Describe the “immaturity hypothesis” of ADHD.

Answer 3

Just means that the parts of your brain that are causing your ADHD are developing slower than average (4th grader, but frontal lobe is still at a 2nd grade level)

• This explains why a lot of the time kids grow out of ADHD (they eventually reach full dev but at a slower rate)

Question 4

What causal factors seem linked to the development of ADHD?

Answer 4

• Prenatal factors (low birth weight, exposure to toxins)
• Moderately heritable!

Question 5

What concerns are associated with stimulant medications used to treat ADHD? Are these medications effective? Explain.

Answer 5

There medications are effective in the short-term BUT NOT long-term (no improve on standardized test scores when kids are in HS)

• Too many ppl are taking stimulants (a lot of kids are being referred when they don’t meet the criteria (this is bc careful assessment is not being done!))
• Kids who need stimulants are not receiving them (don’t have access or bc there is a shortage of drugs!)
• are dependant drugs so they do worse when they are not on them!

Question 6

What are two possible explanations for why ODD and CD are seen more in low SES areas? How did the “casino study” discussed in class shed light on these theories?

Answer 6

• Clinician biases, clincians are more likely to diagnose ODD or CD in low SES areas than in wealthy areas (more likely to be diagnose with ID)
• Downward drift: these disorders CAN LEAD to poverty
• Social influences: the opposite, being in poverty CAN lead to these disorders

Casino study: when financial situation got better, behavior got better!

Question 7

What types of treatments are used for children with these disorders?

Answer 7

• No medication (BUT BEHAVIORAL THERAPY)

cohesive family model: teach parents the proper way to deal w/ their child’s behavior

child learns social problem-solving skills (how to manage their behavior, cognitions0