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Influences between quality of intimate heterosexual relationships, parenting style, and externalizing and internalizing behavior problems of children with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were examined in a sample of intact and single parent families. The perspective on marital quality was expanded to include an examination of intimate adult relationships within single parent households. Associations between the quality of custodial parents' serious dating and/or cohabiting relationships, parenting style and the behavior problems of children with ADHD were studied. Results from this study found tentative support for previous findings that family functioning may mediate the development of conduct disorders among children with ADHD.

The relationships between muscle-tension level, motoric-activity level, and academic performance in the laboratory setting are investigated. Three participants were reinforced for reducing and increasing their tension levels, alternately, while engaged in a simulated academic task, and the effects of each on the rate of activity and academic performance were measured. Measures were also obtained on the rate of activity and occurrence of problem behavior in the subject's homes. Significant treatment differences were found which support a direct relationship between tension and activity level so that a decrease in EMG level was associated with a decrease in motoric activity, and an increase in EMG level was associated with an increase in motoric activity. The efficacy of using EMG biofeedback to train relaxation in children with activity-level problems to control their symptoms is supported, especially where such a technique can be used in a specific task-oriented situation.

The present study sought to alleviate the response cost inefficiency of the behavioral approach to controlling classroom hyperactivity by increasing the observer-student ratio via behavioral-electronic technology. A portable, integrated-circuit, counting and timing device was developed to enable immediate time-sequenced data recording and reinforcing of eight target behaviors by a single observer. A multiple-baseline design, across matched individuals was utilized to demonstrate the reinforcing effects. The results indicated a significant increase over mean baseline frequency in attention-to-task behavior for the group of eight students. It was concluded that by utilizing the behavioral-technological intervention strategy applied in this study, one observer could accurately monitor and reinforce eight students simultaneously and subsequently increase task attentiveness.

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Research Psychology), 2017 / ADHD is one of the most prevalent disorders in child psychiatry today. Whilst the phenomenon of ADHD is well researched in Europe and North America, there are limited studies available in South Africa that explore the link between ADHD and different forms of schooling. Furthermore, few studies focus on the children who have been socially positioned in this way. This study focused on the prevalence of ADHD with a particular aim to explore how gender, race and class play out in an unequal schooling system. The secondary aim was to contribute to the knowledge about adolescents’ own understandings and experiences of ADHD. The research was conducted in two distinct phases, Phase 1 included the administration of a demographic questionnaire to determine the prevalence of the disorder within four different Gauteng schools. Phase 2 of the project included semi-structured interviews to explore the understandings, perceptions and experiences of children living with this diagnosis. This study explored the prevalence of ADHD across four different schools in Gauteng. Results of the study propose that the diagnosis and prevalence of this phenomena is strongly influenced by gender, race and class, as the majority of children diagnosed are boys (65%), more than half are from upper class families (61%) and most of the children are white (71%). The adolescents who were interviewed indicated that teachers were mostly the initiators of their diagnosis due to deviations from classroom behaviour and academic performance. While the children claimed that the diagnosis and the medication had certain benefits, they also identified distinct disadvantages with the most notable adverse effects on mood and interactions with their peers. The predominant biomedical view of the disorder seemed to be internalised by the children which positioned them in a subordinate relationship with health care professionals. A strong theme of disempowerment emerged, with medical experts and mothers, identified as gatekeepers to their sense of agency. / XL2018

To find if video enjoyment was deeper for people with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactive disorder) than for their non-ADHD peers, subjects with ADHD, and without, had their eye movement tracked during video exposure to determine average saccade rates. I interviewed subjects using pre-tested statements to establish periods of flow state (a measure of enjoyment). Results indicate that there is a deeper sense of enjoyment for people with ADHD, as subjects with ADHD passed a greater average time in flow state during video consumption (27% compared to 21%). Furthermore, the effects of flow state on the eye movement of those with ADHD was much greater than the effects of flow state on the eye movement of the non-ADHD control group. Average saccade rates jumped up 0.15 saccades per second when comparing out-of-flow to in-flow states for the ADHD group, while the average saccade rate for the non-ADHD group increased only 0.03 saccades per second when comparing out-of-flow to in-flow states. This helps further understanding of why people with ADHD consume more screen time than their non-ADHD peers; they may be more inclined to choose video consumption as an activity since the enjoyment they receive from video consumption is deeper and more frequent.

Theses (M.A.) (Clinical Psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental behavioural disorder among school–age children, which in most cases continues into adolescence and adulthood and is mainly characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between ADHD symptoms and risk taking behaviours (safety, alcohol use, tobacco use, dagga use, drug use, and sexual activity) in adolescents. Method: A total of 100 male participants (without a clinical diagnosis) participated in the study. The participants were assessed on a battery consisting of the BSSA (Barkley‟s Symptoms Scale for Adolescents), YRBS (Youth Risk Behaviour Scale) and neuropsychological tests which measure response inhibition (GoStop Task) and executive function (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test). The ADHD scores on BSSA have been correlated with scores on the YRBS as well as with the scores obtained on the WCST and the Go-Stop Task. The results were analysed using the Pearson-r to show a relationship between ADHD symptoms and risk taking behaviours. Result:: Conclusion: There is a significant although weak relationship between ADHD symptoms and most risk taking behaviours in a population of non- impaired adolescents.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental behavioural disorder among school-age children, which in most cases continues into adolescence and adulthood and is mainly characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity/impulsiveness and inattention) and child abuse (emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse). Method: A total of 191 participants (without a clinical diagnosis of ADHD) participated in the study. The participants were assessed on a battery consisting of the BSSA (Barkley‘s Symptoms Scale for Adolescents) and CMIS (Child Maltreatment Interview Schedule). The ADHD scores on BSSA have been correlated with scores on the CMIS. The results were analysed using the Pearson‘s product-moment correlation to show a relationship between ADHD symptoms and a history of child abuse. Results: A positive, but weak relationship between ADHD symptoms and all the measured forms of child abuse was indicated, with inattention symptoms showing a slightly higher relationship than the hyperactivity/impulsiveness symptoms. Conclusion: There is a significant although weak relationship, between ADHD symptoms and all forms of child abuse in non-impaired adolescents.

<p>Antisocial behaviour and alcohol problems are areas of great concern to society, not only associated with personal and emotional costs for the affected individuals and their victims, but also with major societal financial costs. What makes some individuals more likely than others to develop these kinds of problems? The general aim of this thesis was to explore the role of individual characteristics in the development of antisocial behaviour and alcohol problems. More specifically, the research focused on aspects of hyperactive behaviour, personality traits and biological vulnerability indicators in relation to self-reported norm breaking and violent behaviour, registered general criminality and violent offending in particular, and further, on risky alcohol use and drinking offences. The studies were based on both a prospective longitudinal project in which a group of adolescent male lawbreakers and controls were followed from the 1960s into the 1990s, and on more recently collected data on a representative group of Swedish male and female adolescents.</p><p>The results of the thesis supported that neuropsychological deficits, manifested in attention difficulties, and personality traits reflecting disinhibition and negative emotionality, influence the development of antisocial behaviour and risky alcohol use, which in turn increases the risk of subsequent alcohol problems. The findings indicated, furthermore, that these neuropsychological deficits may be associated with an underlying biological vulnerability to various forms of disinhibitory psychopathology. Although the thesis focuses on individual characteristics, the results also support the view that environmental risk factors such as the influence of family and peers and possible stress experiences, play an important role. It was emphasized that individual characteristics continuously interact with environmental conditions in shaping each individual’s developmental course. Results also revealed that adolescent females displaying violent behaviour and engaging in potentially harmful use of alcohol deviated more in personality traits than did the corresponding group of males. Further knowledge of the development of these problems in females is crucial, since most theories in this area have been developed primarily on male samples.</p>