problem 1

Question 1

What is the comorbidity of ADHD?

Answer 1

• conduct disorder 50% of the time
• oppositional defiant disorder
• drug abuse
• anxiety and depression

Question 2

How is ADHD expressed differently in childhood and adulthood?

Answer 2

Childhood
- hyperactivity
- peer rejection
- struggle with academic achievement
- impacts on self-esteem and mood, influence on social abilities

Adulthood
- symptoms become more internalised and intense
- more difficult to maintain interpersonal relationships
- tendency to continue with impulsivity and disruptive behaviour

Question 3

What are these following causes for ADHD (genetic, brain, prenatal and psychological)?

Answer 3

• Genetic:
  
  • 76% hereditary
  • gene-environment relations: can carry the gene but its presence is impacted by environmental factors
• Brain:
  
  • reduced volume in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum
  • reduction in grey matter
• Prenatal factors:
  
  • maternal drinking and smoking, premature birth, lower birth weight, general complications with childbirth can increase chance of
• Psychological
  
  • kids with ADHD are more likely to be brought up by parents with ADHD as well
  • inconsistent, ineffective parenting -> more likely to have ADHD

Question 4

What does the learning theory state about the development of ADHD?

Answer 4

• manifestation of the symptoms depends on reinforcement and punishment of certain behaviours by the parent

Question 5

How is Theory of mind in ADHD and ASD?

Answer 5

• ADHD
  
  • they cannot understand people intention and emotions
• ASD
  
  • They have a really poor TOM, worse than ADHD

Question 6

Which treatments are used for ADHD?

Answer 6

• Psychostimulants
  
  • influences the CNS to improve attention and decrease hyperactivity, too much can increase hyperactivity
  • more effective short-term
  • side effects: sleeping problems, decreased appetite, physical growth
  • intensity of symptoms is largely impacted by the environment
• Behaviour therapy:
  
  • better for long term treatment
• Parent training
  
  • training the parent on how to handle a child with ADHD
• Group training
  
  • useful for school age kids with moderate and strong ADHD, parents work with teachers
  • kids with strong ADHD should take medication as well

Question 7

Which treatment is best for each age group (pre-school, school)?

Answer 7

• for preschool children, parental training is the most effective
• for school-age children, the most effective is group-training
• CBT (can be helpful, but not the most effective)
• psychostimulants have been proven to be effective
• for all ages, the most effective method would be combining different strategies

Question 8

What are the DSM-5 requirements for ADHD?

Answer 8

• Inattention. At least six of the following for at least
  6 months:
  
  • Not paying close attention to details or making
    careless mistakes
  • Difficultly in maintaining attention in activities
  • Does not listen when spoken to directly
  • Ignores instructions
  • Has difficulty organising
  • Dislikes or avoids tasks which require sustained
    mental effort
  • Loses things needed for tasks
  • Easily distractible
  • Forgetful in daily activities
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity. At least six of the
  following for at least 6 months:
  
  • High level of fidgeting
  • Not sitting still or leaving seat when expected to sit
  • Runs or climbs in situations where it is
    inappropriate
  • Unable to engage in activities quietly
  • Excessive talking
  • Blurts out an answer before the question is finished
  • Has difficulty awaiting their turn
  • Interrupts or intrudes on others frequently
• Symptoms were present before the age of 12
• Symptoms are present in at least two settings
  -Symptoms reduce the quality of educational, social or
  occupational ability
• Symptoms do not occur during schizophrenia or another
  psychotic disorder and are not better explained by
  another mental disorder

Question 9

What are the three subtypes of ADHD?

Answer 9

• one focused on inattentiveness
• the other focused on impulsivity and hyperactivity
• combined presentation: one is usually more dominant

Question 10

What is the comorbidity of ASD?

Answer 10

• linked to ADHD and epilepsy
• occurs with genetic disorders (fragile X syndrome)
• anxiety and depression (impacts on satisfaction with life)
• asocial disorder (difficulties in and avoidance of social situations)

Question 11

What are these following causes for ASD (genetic, brain, prenatal and external factors)?

Answer 11

• Genetic
  
  • heritability (90%)
  • 60-91% of MZ twins both have ASD
• Brain
  
  • enlarged brain areas associated with language (cerebellum, limbic system, frontal lobes, basal ganglia)
  • brain increases from the second to fourth years and stops at around five years
• Prenatal factors:
  
  • maternal bleeding
  • exposure to drugs
  • age of mother
  • depression in the mother
• External factors:
  
  • upbringing (e.g. parents who have ASD)
  • abnormality in chromosomes 5 and 16
  • brain injuries

Question 12

What is the emphasising-systematising theory for ASD?

Answer 12

• theory tries to explain TOM deficits (social and communicational difficulties) and non-social features of ASD (need for sameness, attention to detail)
• brain structures of children work differently
• they create their own plans and systems
• they have superior systematising skills

Question 13

What treatments are there for ASD?

Answer 13

• no proper treatment, although medications can help
• difficult to apply treatments (such as behavioural training), due to distress in different environments
• hard to treat based on the spectrum (different parts of the system require different treatments)
• treatments start at a basic level (starting with eye contact)
• techniques/strategies that can be used
  
  • food can be used to reward behaviours, in place of objects
• behavioural training:
  
  • modelling: parents exhibit behaviours they want the child to learn
  • inclusion: putting individuals with ASD in a normal situation