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The study of adolescent psychopathy has grown from being a fringe element in psychology to a mainstream topic for research. One issue that divides scholars centers on the relationship between conduct problems and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their relationship to adolescent psychopathy. Some state the former factor has the most crucial relationship while other scholars categorically disagree, claiming that ADHD is the strongest. The majority of adolescents assessed for adolescent psychopathy are residents at state training schools; however, many of the behaviors associated with psychopathy are seen in students assigned to their district’s alternative educational setting. In order to gauge which factor had strongest relationship with psychopathy, 80 male students, ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old, placed at interim alternative educational settings for misbehavior were assessed using the Antisocial Process Screening Device---Youth Edition (APSD-Y) to determine level of psychopathy. In addition, ADHD was assessed using both the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children- Second Edition (BASC-2) and Conners-Wells’ Adolescent Self-Report Scale-L (CASS:L); likewise, both instruments were used assess conduct problems. Each assessment instrument used a self-report method. Results indicated that of the two factors, conduct problems had a statistically significant relationship with adolescent psychopathy, while the relationship between ADHD’s and psychopathy was nonsignificant. The implications are straight forward. Adolescents with impulsivity problems are regularly sent to interim alternative educational settings for misbehaving; however, the findings of this study indicate that impulsivity alone should not be the focus when considering pathways to psychopathy. Rather, conduct problems should be considered a contributing factor as it shares a significant relationship with psychopathy. A secondary analysis using an Independent T-test was used to explore the differences between the Low and High scoring APSD-Y groups. Clinical significance was found between the two APSD-Y groups with the BASC-2 Externalizing and the CASS:L Externalizing subscales, as well as the BASC-2 Conduct Problems and the CASS-Conduct Problem scores.

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The current study examines racial differences in the management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black adolescents. This study also examines Black adults' reflection upon adolescent symptoms of ADHD. Drawing on literature from racial/ethnic disparities in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, health care service utilization, health behaviors, structural racism and medicalization, this study examines the health behavior and health care utilization practices of Black people, analyzing the avenues through which racism structures the management of symptoms. This study also explores the ways in which management of adolescent symptoms of ADHD shape Black adults' self-management of symptoms in adulthood. To investigate such ideas data from the National Comorbidity Survey- Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A) and the Parent Self-Administered Questionnaire (PSA-Q) were analyzed to offer a descriptive picture of differences in management and treatment of adolescent ADHD symptoms. Ten interviews were conducted with Black adults to offer depth to reported interpersonal causes of racial differences in management and treatment and assist in placing such causes within a framework of structural racism. Interview questions focused on participant's articulation of the socio-political landscape in which adolescent symptoms of ADHD were experienced. Additional questions targeted processes around parent's management of symptoms, the school systems management of symptoms, participant's relationships to medical care providers and avenues to treatment. Quantitative findings suggest there are racial differences present in the management of adolescent ADHD and qualitative findings offer that these differences are reflective of a structural system of power and privilege that shapes Black people's engagement with and access to care for symptoms of ADHD. This research contributes to existent knowledge about reported racial differences in management of symptoms of ADHD, and has implications for the ways in which literature approaches racial disparities in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD among Black adolescents. / Doctor of Philosophy / The current study examines racial differences in the management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black adolescents. This study also examines Black adults’ reflection upon adolescent symptoms of ADHD. Drawing on literature from racial and ethnic disparities in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, health care service utilization, health behaviors, structural racism and medicalization, this study examines the health behavior and health care utilization practices of Black people. This study also explores the relationship between adolescent and adult management of ADHD symptoms. To investigate differences by race data from the National Comorbidity Survey- Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A) and the Parent Self-Administered Questionnaire (PSA-Q) were analyzed. In addition, interviews were conducted with Black adults to offer depth and give context to the ways in which race and racism shaped quantitative findings. Interview questions focused on participant’s adolescent management of symptoms by familial networks and school systems, as well as participant’s adult relationships to medical care providers and symptom management. Quantitative findings suggest racial differences are present in the management of adolescent ADHD and qualitative findings offer that these differences are reflective of the ways in which racism shapes Black people’s engagement with and access to care for symptoms of ADHD. This research contributes to existent knowledge about reported racial differences in management of symptoms of ADHD, and has implications for the ways in which literature approaches racial disparities in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD among Black adolescents.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders with similar functional impairments. Specifically, working memory (WM) deficits have been found in studies of both ADHD and ASD and social competence has been identified as an area in which these individuals also struggle. The purpose of this study was (a) to identify which components of working memory (WM; based on Baddeley's 2000 model) are deficient and (b) to explore how WM deficits contribute to social problems in individuals with varying levels of ADHD symptoms and ASD traits. It was hypothesized that visuospatial (VS) WM deficits would be evident in the three analogue clinical groups, phonological (PH) WM and central executive (CE) deficits would be more evident in groups with high ADHD symptoms, all three analogue clinical groups would have lower social competence, and WM abilities would moderate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and social competence. In Phase I, 1311 undergraduate students participated in an online survey on general psychopathology, ADHD symptoms, and ASD traits. From this sample, a subgroup (n = 60) completed Phase II, an in-lab session that included WM tasks, a brief cognitive assessment, and social conversation task. Although WM deficits were not identified for any group, all participants demonstrated worse performance on the VS WM task than the PH WM task. However, WM abilities did not moderate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and social competence. Exploratory analyses were conducted with similar results. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Ph. D.