“The new scale is short, easily scored, and can detect the vast majority of adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder cases in the general population with high sensitivity and specificity, discriminating well among patients presenting for evaluation and specialty treatment,” the authors, led by Berk Ustun, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,…

It is so common for self-employed people to have ADHD, the disorder could be renamed “the entrepreneur’s trait”…The list of red flags was long for serial entrepreneur Ryan McRae­—doesn’t pay attention in class, bored easily, works on too many projects at once. But it wasn’t until he was on the brink of adulthood when he…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience internalizing and externalizing problems at higher rates than typically developing children, which could worsen social impairment, according to researchers with the Virginia Tech Center for Autism Research. The study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, compared social impairment scores in 57 children (3-17 years, 82.5…

The vast majority of people with bipolar disorder and about 35% of those with major depressive disorder have at least one other psychiatric illness. Some of these illnesses include anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms can…

Children on Medicaid received fewer antipsychotics after the implementation of a psychiatric consultation program in Washington state, researchers reported. After launching the Partnership Access Line (PAL) program, led by Seattle Children’s Hospital, use of antipsychotics among Medicaid-enrolled children in Washington state fell by more than half, from 0.51% in 2006 to 0.25% in 2013, according…

A study published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology has found an interesting new benefit that may come with ADHD meds: increased empathy. In the study, researchers followed 52 children and teens between the ages of 8 and 18 as they started treatment with methylphenidate, an ADHD medication. When the participants were surveyed after…

Taught to be the primary caregivers from an early age, women feel pressured to plan their family’s social life, cook regular meals, and maintain an organized household, even though a majority of them work, Matlen says. While such responsibilities can be daunting for anyone, “How do you pull all that off when you have ADD?”…

Children in the child protection system are three times more likely to have a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than the general population. Why is this the case? It’s possible that children with ADHD are more vulnerable to parental abuse and neglect because of their challenging behaviour and the socioeconomic backgrounds most commonly…

In this guest post, clinical psychologist Mona Delahooke explains why and how she has integrated the science of relationships and treatment for children to offer parents and their children more effective approaches to issues they may be facing. Her relationship-based approach unravels the latest neuroscience to make her work invaluable to service providers who work…

Fayette County pre-school teacher Heather Blankenship has noticed a trend among some of her young pupils who are born during the summer months. “A large majority of my students with summer birthdays struggle the first several months of pre-K,” Blankenship reported. “A few (struggle) the entire year.” Blankenship is among a number of local educators…

Some people are afraid to leave their homes. Others are stuck in dead-end jobs. Too many are too afraid to participate in the simplest of social encounters. Hearts race and pulses pound from the constant fear of judgement, embarrassment and humiliation. This is the reality of social anxiety disorder, one of the most common —…

About 6.4 million children in the United States have been given diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A.D.H.D.). But the condition — characterized by impulsiveness and difficulty sitting still and paying attention — is also being recognized more in adults. The challenges faced by those with A.D.H.D. are daunting and deeply personal. Here, in their…