Sammanfattning Följande studie är en integrativ litteraturstudie som beskriver relationen mellan diagnosen Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) och substansmissbruk. Syftet med den aktuella litteraturstudien var att hitta tänkbara förklaringar till relationen mellan de två fenomen. Vidare var även syftet att se om det fanns skillnader mellan könen vad gäller relationen mellan substansmissbruk och diagnosen ADHD. Sammanlagt är det 15 kvalitativa och kvantitativa vetenskapliga artiklar som ligger till grund för denna studie. De vetenskapliga artiklarna har utifrån en tematisk innehållsanalys sammanställts och jämförts utifrån Howard Beckers stämplingsteori, Brantes kritiska förhållningssätt samt begreppet stigma. Resultatet visar att det finns ett samband mellan diagnosen ADHD och substansmissbruk. Både flickor och pojkar som har diagnostiserats med ADHD har en ökad risk för att utveckla substansmissbruk. Det kan också ses en skillnad mellan flickor och pojkar som har diagnosen ADHD, och risken att utveckla ett substansmissbruk under sin uppväxt. Flickor med diagnosen har en betydligt större risk att utveckla substansmissbruk än det motsatta könet. Resultatet visar även att en tänkbar förklaring till sambandet mellan diagnosen ADHD och substansmissbruk kan vara självmedicinering. I det sociala arbetets praktik är det inte ovanligt att personer med diagnosen kombinerad ADHD och missbruksproblematik bollas mellan socialtjänst och psykiatri. Detta då deras komplexa situation varken kan reduceras till antingen diagnosen ADHD eller substansmissbruket. Resultatet i studien är viktigt att vara medveten om i mötet med personer som söker hjälp för diagnostiserad ADHD, substansmissbruk eller båda delar.

Adolescent and young adult males are at a higher risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared to the general population. Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is also more prevalent for males in these age groups. The most commonly prescribed medication for ADHD is methylphenidate (MPH). Based on the increase in the number of new diagnoses of ADHD and the number of children who continue taking MPH into adulthood, it is important to evaluate how chronic or acute MPH administered prior to injury may influence recovery following TBI. In both studies, cognitive abilities of male Sprague-Dawley rats were assessed on post-injury using the Morris Water Maze. There was no effect of chronic MPH treatment on cognitive outcome following TBI. In contrast, acute MPH pre-treatment improved cognitive outcome as measured by the MWM. The MPH + injury group reached sham-injury levels on days 4 and 5 in the MWM.

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of ADHD among clients treated in therapeutical communities for users of illegal addictive substances. The issue of ADHD is explored in the point of view of prevalence, influence on a person and in the point of view of complications during the treatment. Information concerning this issue are absented in the Czech Republic. Research studies about dual diagnosis substantiate the influence of associated co morbid for use of addictive substances in the point of view of an ability of one to cope with normally adjusted medical schedule and make profit out of it. Lingering of ADHD in adultery even with subliminal Symptomatology presents a burden in fields of executive and behavioral abilities of a person. Well- timed and proper diagnosis is vital for an adjustment of optimal medical schedule. The goal of the thesis was to find whether there are clients with ADHD diagnosis in therapeutical communities and what is the influence of a defect on a person and on complications during the treatment. The occurence of ADHD clients of therapeutical communities was found out in childhood and in the present, characteristics of ADHD clients were tracked and a degree of occurence of complications in comparision with clients without diagnosis during the process of the treatment was...

Neuropsykiatriska diagnoser blir allt vanligare i dagens samhälle. Elever i skolan och på fritidshemmet kan behöva särskilt stöd för att klara av sin vistelse vid dessa instutitioner. Under vår verksamhetsförlagda utbildeng har vi sett att elever med diagnosen ADHD ofta för stöd i form av elevassistent under skoltid, men inte under fritidstiden. I denna studien undersöker vi hur resursfördelningen mellan skolan och fritidshemmet ser ut på en skola. Vi har intervjuat rektorn, samt utformat två fokusgrupper med tre fritidspedagoger och tre grundlärare, med syftet att få fram vad de olika yrkeskategorierna upplever vilket stöd som erbjuds för att kunna bemöta elever med ADHD. Studien har en fenomenologisk ansats och analysen bygger på sociokulturell och relationell teori.  Resultatet av vår fallstudie visade att behovet får styra vilket stöd fritidspedagoger och grundlärare får för att bemöta elever med ADHD. Både grundlärare och pedagoger belyser vikten av en lyhörd ledning för att få det stöd som behövs i de olika verksamheterna. De uttrycker även en önskan om fortbildning, för att kunna bemöta elever med ADHD på bästa sätt, samt utbildade elevassistenter.

Allt fler röster i samhällsdebatten lyfter problematiken kring de missgynnade och förbisedda flickorna med ADHD. Syftet med denna kvalitativa fallstudie är att belysa hur studiesituationen i skolan kan se ut för flickor med diagnosen ADHD. Genom både observationer och intervjuer med tre flickor och deras lärare har vi försökt beskriva hur flickornas tillvaro i skolan kan se ut, med fokus på inlärning, delaktighet och känslan av sammanhang i klassrumssituationen. Vi har undersökt vilka specialpedagogiska perspektiv som ligger till grund för lärarnas undervisning och bemötande av dessa flickor samt utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv undersökt hur flickorna uppfattar sin lärandesituation. Resultaten pekar på att dessa flickor inte tydligt visar svårigheter som kopplas samman med ADHD, men att de upplever svårigheter i att koncentrera sig och följa med i undervisningen, vilket får konsekvenser för deras lärande. Vidare indikerar studien att lärarna inte möter flickornas behov i tillräckligt hög grad, då de anpassar undervisningen främst på gruppnivå. Detta visar sammantaget på att det finns ett behov av en bredare kunskap kring flickor med ADHD:s annorlunda funktionssätt, så att dessa flickor med skolans hjälp och vägledning kan uppnå sin fulla potential.

This study investigated the outcomes and practice of Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) for children aged 9 to 12 diagnosed with Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study was carried out in order to gain new insights in the learning and growth processes facilitated by Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) and to improve practice. Two learning and growth processes were identified and investigated: establishing a therapeutic vision and infusing it into the therapeutic plan and facilitating the transfer of newly learned or improved skills and learning strategies from the riding learning environment to parallel learning environments such as the client’s school and home. The research also explored ways to amplify levels of skill acquired during THR sessions and to support the transformation process experienced by THR clients. A pilot exploratory survey was conducted among THR practitioners and participating parents. In depth interviews and observations were conducted. A multiple case study paradigm was selected for the purpose of the study. In depth interviews were conducted with children diagnosed with ADHD, parents, and teachers. In addition, relevant documents were examined. A THR manual for practitioners was developed to support and inform learning partnerships between school (teachers), THR practitioners (THRPs) and children and their family, in order to standardise THR practice. The findings of this research showed that the THR practitioners (THRPs) should facilitate the acquisition and transfer of skills and strategies learned during THR sessions to other environments, such as family and school, in order to improve the quality of life of children diagnosed having ADHD. The Knowing Therapeutic Horseback Riding (KTR) model of THR practice emerged and was shown to be effective in promoting a learning and growth partnership between school, THR practitioner, client and his family. The KTR model calls for the nurturing of this partnership in order to support the learned skills and amplify them.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) management is challenging. This pilot study investigated parents/caregivers’ perception of therapies and other interventions in their ASD children. Information for children attending NDS department of MATC in Winnipeg was collected from participants through questionnaire-guided interviews. Mixed quantitative/qualitative methods were employed to analyze data. A total of 12 participants completed the study and data from14 children were collected. All children attended school, 88% were males, and more than 50% reported eating/sleeping difficulties. ADHD comorbidity was reported in 69%. The prescription drug most commonly tried was risperidone 56%, which found effective in controlling aggressive behaviours. Melatonin mostly tried in children for sleep. Behavioural therapy was rated as the most effective intervention, but was often limited by coverage and waiting period’s issues. Common concerns voiced by participants were the lack of trained professionals, the limited understanding of ASD children’s needs and the uncertainty for the future of their children (financial/service support at older age). Future studies should be conducted in a larger population and a longer observation time to document the changing needs of ASD children. / May 2016

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heritable disorder, which has detrimental effects on childhood development and is associated with maladaptive functioning in adulthood. Despite this, we are far from an understanding of the etiology and possible trajectories of ADHD, possibly due to investigations focusing on the contribution of single genes. In fact, single genes are likely not influential enough to alter behavior, but the additive effect of many genes may predispose an individual toward certain behaviors. Further, environmental input can activate or suppress genetic expression, thereby leading to vast individual differences in both normative behavior and psychopathological illness, including ADHD. This study investigated the effect of cumulative genetic sensitivity across three dopaminergic polymorphisms (DRD2 A1, DRD4 7R, and DAT1 10R) on ADHD symptomatology in very young children. In addition, we were interested in the G x E associations with ADHD symptomatology. Findings provide novel evidence regarding the effects of dopamine polymorphisms on inattention, and thus ADHD, symptomatology in very young children. Specifically, the findings suggest that the cumulative effect of genetic sensitivity across several dopamine polymorphisms predicts severity of symptomatology, particularly in males. In addition, a robust G x E interaction emerged, whereby a specific genetic predisposition moderated the effect of family context on behavior. This finding, lending support to the BSC model and the differential susceptibility hypothesis, suggests that genetic sensitivity can moderate environmental influence, for better and for worse.

Det du håller i din hand är en fenomenologiskt inspirerad studie med syftet att bidra med kunskaper om hur flickor som är i skolsvårigheter upplever sin skolgång. För att begränsa urvalsgruppen ska flickorna även fått en sen ADHD-diagnos. Den semistrukturerade forskningsintervjun har använts som metod. I kombination med fenomenologin blir det en lämplig plattform för att utforska flickornas egna upplevelser. Skolan upptäcker ofta flickorna sent i skolgången, eftersom deras symptom är subtila och svåra att uppmärksamma i tidig ålder. De lyckas dölja sina svårigheter genom att klara sig på godkänd nivå i ämnena, medan de samtidigt har problem med koncentration och relationer till jämnåriga. Konsekvenserna kan bli stora ända in i vuxenlivet. Det är därför av vikt att lyssna till flickornas egna berättelser, så att vi får förståelse för hur det är att vara flicka med skolsvårigheter och ADHD i dagens skola. Resultatdelen visar att studiens flickors upplevelser på flera sätt stämmer överens med tidigare forskningsresultat och frågor om varför vi inte kommit längre i arbetet med dessa flickor väcks. I diskussionen lyfts förändringar i sättet att se på sig själv som flicka med ADHD jämfört med vad tidigare forskning visar.

In everyday life, people are interacting with the Internet. The emergence of this phenomenon has been positively contributing to the rapid development of our society in the last decades. However, negative reports about excessive usage are coming to the surface and questions about potential negative consequences are being raised. Internet addiction (IA) has been suggestedas a new type of disorder. There is a new field of research emerging with the aim to investigate its nature. This review compiles the most relevant literature on neuroimaging techniques used to identify the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of IA. Based on identified comorbidity between IA and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a comparison between the neural correlates of IA and ADHD is attempted, in order to illustrate the importance of bringing more attention to IA. The findings present structural, functional and neurochemical alterations in brain regions associated with emotional processing, cognitive control and reward processing. Similarities between the two disorders interms of structural and functional alterations in regions associated with emotional processing and cognitive control are highlighted.Limitations regarding lack of consensus of the operational definition, narrow selection criteria of participants and a need for subcategories inside the term IA are pointed out. The thesis concludes that as of now the discovered alterations may be considered as biological markers underlying the disorder and IA is a field of research worthy of more attention.