| dc.description.abstract | Historically, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was termed Minimal Brain Dysfunction or MBD (Barkley, 1997) and this historical diagnostic label is a reflection of one of the consequences of the focus of current academic literature on the neuro-anatomical aetiology of
ADHD: ADHD has often become associated with cognitive or neurological impairment (Biederman & Spencer, 1999). However, although impairment in intellectual functioning can be comorbid with ADHD (Faraone, Biederman, Lehman, Spencer, Norman, Siedman, Kraus, Perrin, Chen & Tsuang. 1993), it is often the case that children diagnosed with ADHD have no significant intellectual impairment and some are classified as intellectually 'gifted' (Baum, Olenchak & Owen, 1998; Hartnett, Nelson & Rinn, 2004; Webb & Latimer, 1993). This suggests that an understanding of cognitive or developmental-neurobiological factors alone cannot comprehensively account for the symptom triad of impulsivity, inattention and hyperactivity characteristic of ADHD. Further, despite growing research interest in the area of ADHD in children, research efforts to develop an aeliological understanding of ADHD have met with controversy and there is very little consensus. The literature is divided on whether ADHD is the result of neurological factors (CaI1e, Nigg & Hinshaw,2005; Chhabildas, Pennington & Willcutt,200i; Kalfl Hendriksen, Kroes, Vles. In addition, the prevalence rates ofADHD are high in school-going children and are estimated to be between 5 and 2OVo of children of school-going age (Carr, 2006). This suggests that a significant percentage of children are struggling with impulsivity, inattention and/ or hyperactivity at crucial psychosocial developmental stages. Research highlights the impact of ADHD on the development of self esteem (DuPaul, Anastopoulos, Kwasnik, Barkley, McMurray & DuPaul, 1996; Hechtman, Weiss, & Perlman, 1980; Kelly, Cohen, Walker, Caskey, & Atkinson, 1989; Treuting & Hinshaw, 2001;), peer relationships (Bagwell, Molina, Pelham & Hoza,200ll Hinshaw, Zupan, Simmel, Nigg, & Melnick, 1997), parenting problems (Anastopoulos. Guevremont, Shelton & DuPaul, 1992; Breen & Barkley, 1988) and educational outcomes (Murphy, Barkley & Bush, 2002; Rapport, Scanlan, Rapport & Denney, 1999). It has also been suggested that ADHD is a risk factor for the later development of oppositional Defrant Disorder (oDD) and conduct Disorder (CD) (Biederman, Faraone, Milberger, Jetton, Chen, Mick, Greene & Russel. 1996; Rey, Walter, Plapp & Denshire, 2000). | en_US |
