ADHD and Behavior Modification

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and notes that it is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder among children and is characterized by inattention and hyperactivity. The paper, in referring to certain case studies, discusses the causes, incidence and treatment of ADHD and psychosocial interventions e.g. behavior modification strategies.

From the Paper:

"There is enough evidence that states behavior modification strategies work, regardless if these methods are combined with a common ADHD drug or not. The fact that children are being taught how to behave properly provides a solution that is far more long-lasting than common symptomatic medications. Children as early as 2 years old have the capacity to learn about good and undesired behaviors. According to Vgotsky's Social Cognition, culture contributes to a child's intellectual content, and it provides him of tools on how to process such knowledge. Therefore, a child's cognitive development depends highly on what his parents, teacher, peers, and other family members shares with them. Moreover, the premise behind behavior modification is guided by Pavlov's theory on operant conditioning, where the learned behavioral responses are voluntary. In this theory, he speaks of a stimulus that is presented after a desired behavior which increases the possibility of that behavior to occur again".

Sample of Sources Used:

• ADDitude. (January 2008). Kids with ADHD more likely to bully and be bullied. [Online.] Retrieved 14 August 2008 from the Web site: http://www.additudemag.com/addnews/47/3242.html
• Allen, A. (18 March 2001). "The trouble with ADHD: as growing numbers of children are being medicated for attention deficit disorder, some doctors and parents wonder whether the drugs have become a too-convenient way of dealing with difficult kids." The Washington Post. [Online.] Retrieved 14 August 2008 from the Web site: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-413948.html
• Bailey, E. (14 August 2008). Behavior Modification. [Online.] Retrieved 14 August 2008 from the Web site: http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/treatment-160825-5.html
• Berger, A. E. (2008). Vgotsky's zone of proximal development. [Online.] Retrieved 13 August 2008 from the Web site: http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/vygotsky_zpd/index.htm
• Bussing, R., Koro-Ljungberg, M. E., Williamson, P., Gary, F. A., Garvan, C. W. (2006). "What 'Dr. Mom' ordered: a community-based exploratory study of parental self-care responses to children's ADHD symptoms." Social Science and Medicine, 63: 871-882.

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