Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Profession of Academic Performance - Research Paper Example

? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Profession of Academic Performance of College There is a disproportionate amount of children who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These children are most often males, and many of them are subjected to different types of medications. Research has shown that medication is not the best way to help children with ADHD because many of them do not have it. There is a problem in the classroom though because these children have behavioral outbursts and are difficult to manage. In this study a behavioral program is tested that will provide information as to how a behavior program can influence a child’s academic performance. A two tailed, independent t-test route will be used for statistical inference and 100 children, in two groups, will be observed, in a classroom for six months. At the end of the study, the researcher will make recommendations about the behavior program and how it influenced academic performance. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Profession of Academic Performance The controversy around children and the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) shows that children are being diagnosed at an alarming rate. According to Nauert (2012) many researchers are showing this to be a fact. Nauert (2012) reports on a German report where several children were doctors and psychologists found that many times children were diagnosed based on “heuristics or rules of thumb, rather than adhering to recognized diagnostic criteria” (para. 2). Boys are diagnosed with ADHD more often than boys (according to Nauert, 2012). The German researchers also found that although boys and girls may have the same type of behavior, it was the boys who were more often shown to have ADHD. Aguiar, Eubig and Schantz (2010) suggest that ADHD is difficult to diagnose because there are so many facets to the disorder. Also, many psychologists and psychiatrists diagnose children based on the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis which is specifically geared to behavioral observation and not scientific research. As an example, children who do not appear to be able to stay focused in school, who does not seem to listen when told to do something or is disorganized, with six other measures of inattention, can be diagnosed as ADHD (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The challenge is that this could be true of many different children who are just going though childhood development. Bruchmuller, Margraf and Schneider (2012) conducted a study with 473 psychotherapists in which they gave vignettes of children. The psychotherapists were told to choose those children they felt were ADHD. There were four vignettes and the psychotherapists were asked to read the vignette and to answer a questionnaire about it. There were four vignettes with varying degrees of ADHD symptoms. The results of their study are better shown by the chart that they created: Figure 1. Percentage of (ADHD) Diagnoses For Eight Different Case Vignettes. GAD = Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This chart shows the four vignettes that Bruchmuller et al. (2012) used to show that in each situation there were children who were diagnosed with ADHD, whether they had it or not. Adapted from, Bruchmuller, K., Margraf, J., & Schneider, S. (2012). Is ADHD diagnosed in accord with diagnostic criteria? Overdiagnosis and influence of client gender on diagnosis. Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology, 80(1), p. 133. doi:10.1037/a0026582 Clearly, psychiatrists find this diagnosis difficult because it is based more on behavior rather than on scientific information. Most of the medical protocols are to give these children some type of drug that will make them slow down. ADHD and Behavior Therapy There are many alternatives that have been shown to assist children to resolve some of the behavior issues that are present in ADHD. Schultz, Storer, Watabe, Sadler and Evans (2011) state that three percent to seven percent of school-aged children are diagnosed with ADHD each year. In order to help children in elementary school, Schultze et al. (2011) studied children in the elementary school and they found several school-based interventions that are working with children. One of these interventions that schools have widely used, is behavior techniques. These techniques are generally used to keep children focused in the class room and alleviate outbursts. Behavior Techniques Used with Children Diagnosed with ADHD There are several studies that have shown techniques that have worked in the classroom with children diagnosed with ADHD. Chang, Chang and Shih (2007) found that using behavior therapy had to be done by parents and teachers in order for it to be an effective modality. They suggest that there needs to be a combination of medication and behavior therapy to allow the student to have a positive experience on all levels. Webster-Stratton, Reid, and Beauchaine (2011) also discussed that behavior techniques are effective, but they should begin before the child actually enters school. The reason these authors feel this may be a better time to help children is because they have not had to deal with rejection from their peers, difficulties in school or school failure, and parents will not have a set amount of distress with their children. Webster-Stratton, Reid and Beauchaine (2011) also suggest that it is important to help parents learn strategies that the child will have learned by the time they go to school. Evans, Schultz, and Sadler (2008) state that giving drugs to a child with ADHD does not stop the maladaptive behavior. Instead, the best way to change the maladaptive behavior (in the author’s research) is to create “clear and consistent behavioral expectations” (p. 50) for children that can be monitored by the parents at home and by the teachers at school. The authors suggest that there should be contingencies that are consistent with what the parents need from the child instead of presenting tokens or other types of tangible contingencies. Evans, Schultz, and Sadler (2008) state that parents can make sure that behavior changes by providing positive reinforcement for behaviors that are conducive to what the parent expects. - Method The method used for this study is a matched design study that will include a sample of 100 children who have previously been diagnosed with ADHD. These children will not have been on any medication prior to the study, and they will not be on medication during the experiment. The children will be selected through the (school or mental health facility) with parental permission, in writing. The participants will be matched based on their age and the severity of their ADHD. This will provide support that these two groups are equivalent at the baseline process. The children will be split into two groups: One group will be asked to take medication (prescribed by their doctor or a psychiatrist) and the second group will be asked to go through a behavior program. The program would consist of using positive reinforcement when the child has a behavioral outburst. The experiment will follow both groups of children for six months, in a classroom setting. A baseline of behavior will be observed for the first month to create a baseline for the children’s behavior. The researcher (s) will record the process thorough the use of a behavior scale. At the end of the program, the children will receive a post-test at the end of the program, using the same behavior scale. Hypothesis H1: Children with ADHD who use a behavior program will improve academic performance by 10% more than those children who use medication. Results The results of the study will use a two tailed, independent t-test route for understanding the differences between the two groups. The independent variable of the experiment is the behavior of the children who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The dependent variable is the frequency of the behavior outbursts and how these effect academic performance. Discussion Assuming the hypothesis is supported, the students will have a better opportunity for learning in the classroom because they will be able to focus and understand what is going on. Children will be able to sit in the classroom for normal periods of time and teachers will no longer need to control behavior. Teachers and teaching assistants will be able to work with children who have been diagnosed with ADHD through normal methods of teaching (e.g. they will be able to help students read, write and do math problems without behavioral interventions). Children will show a ten percent increase in their academic performance as they go through the behavior program. As they continue in the program this performance may be higher and may be dependent on how well the group receiving the behavioral intervention behaviors without medication. There is a chance that some of the children in the study will have to be on medication if the behavioral program does not seem to be working well. There may also be limitations of the study that are not present at this time, but will be after the program is completed. These will be identified in the discussion session once the program is completed. References Aguiar, A., Eubig, P. A., & Schantz, S. L. (2010). Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A focused overview for children's environmental health researchers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(12), 1646-1653. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002326 American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Bruchmuller, K., Margraf, J., & Schneider, S. (2012). Is ADHD diagnosed in accord with diagnostic criteria? Overdiagnosis and influence of client gender on diagnosis. Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology, 80(1), 128-138. doi:10.1037/a0026582 Chang, H., Chang, C., & Shih, Y. (2007). The Process of assisting behavior modification in a child with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal Of Nursing Research (Taiwan Nurses Association), 15(2), 147-154. Evans, S., Schultz, B., & Sadler, J. (2008). Psychosocial interventions used to treat children with ADHD: safety and efficacy. Journal Of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 46(8), 49-59. doi:10.3928/02793695-20080801-04 Nauert, R. (2012, April). Is ADHD Overdiagnosed? PsychCentral Blog. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/04/02/is-adhd-overdiagnosed/36813.html Schultz, B. K., Storer, J., Watabe, Y., Sadler, J., & Evans, S. W. (2011). School-based treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychology In The Schools, 48(3), 254-262. doi:10.1002/pits.20553 Webster-Stratton, C., Reid, M., & Beauchaine, T. (2011). Combining parent and child training for young children with ADHD. Journal Of Clinical Child And Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal For The Society Of Clinical Child And Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 40(2), 191-203. Read More