Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
At INTERFACE Referral Service, we focus on connecting members of our communities with mental health providers. We also value the importance of learning about the mental health conditions that may be affecting your thinking, feeling, behavior, or mood.
Therefore, we have created "Mental Health Topic Pages". The majority of our topic pages will direct you to Network of Care Massachusetts! Network of Care Massachusetts has a library database of over 30,000 fact sheets and articles. Topics on behavioral health issues are written by leading experts and organizations in their fields.
ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobiological developmental disorders impacting individuals across the lifespan. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), it is estimated that 8.4% of children and anywhere from 2.5 to 4% of adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. The current average age for an ADHD diagnosis is 7 years old. In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, an onset of symptoms must occur before the age of 12 and be present in at least two settings (e.g. school and at home). Some symptoms of ADHD include difficulty paying attention and staying focused, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity).
There are three subtypes of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive presentation, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation, and a combined presentation which applies when there are six or more symptoms of inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity.
It is important to note, that these symptoms can present differently between males and females and even between children and adults. These differences will be discussed in more detail in the following sections. How to manage symptoms of ADHD and the ways in which it can impact daily life (e.g. home, school, work, and interpersonal relationships) will also be discussed.
Source: Tarah E. Doyle, Psy.D. ; Leah Perniciaro, Psy.D., William James College, Newton, MA ; and Beverly Ibeh, M.A., Psy.D. Candidate, William James College, Newton, MA
To learn more, visit these Network of Care Resources:
ADHD: Impulsivity and Inattention
For Adults: