Are Classrooms Meeting the Basic Psychological Needs of Children With ADHD Symptoms? A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Structural modeling of Chinese students' academic achievement identity and basic psychological needs: do academic self-efficacy, and mindfulness play a mediating role?

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness and academic self-efficacy were proposed as mediating variables, with successful academic identity as an exogenous variable. The backdrop for this research centers on the significance of psychological factors in shaping academic identity among first-grade high school students.

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between fundamental psychological needs, mindfulness, academic self-efficacy, and successful academic identity. Specifically, the study explored the direct and indirect impacts of basic psychological needs on successful academic identity mediated by mindfulness and academic self-efficacy.

METHOD

The research employed a descriptive method, utilizing correlational studies and structural equation modeling. A sample of 355 undergraduate students at Henan Judicial Police Vocational College, Henan, China, was randomly selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using established scales, including the Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Baer Mindfulness Scale, Jenkins and Morgan Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and Vas and Isakson Successful Academic Identity Scale. The data analysis was conducted using AMOS 22 software.

FINDINGS

The research findings revealed that fundamental psychological needs directly and indirectly significantly impact successful academic identity. Mindfulness played a mediating role in this relationship. However, academic self-efficacy did not considerably mediate the influence of fundamental psychological needs on successful academic identity (p > 0.05). These results highlight the complex dynamics between psychological needs, mindfulness, academic self-efficacy, and successful academic identity among high school students in the specified academic year.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest targeted interventions, such as workshops for families and teachers to address basic needs and psychologist and school counselor interventions to increase mindfulness. Additionally, organizing educational classes is imperative for fostering a supportive environment conducive to successful academic identity among undergraduate students.

Toward understanding and enhancing self-determination: a qualitative exploration with autistic adults without co-occurring intellectual disability

Introduction

Self-determination is a fundamental human right positively related to quality of life. However, Autistic people are reported to be less self-determined than non-autistic people. We aimed to (1) understand what self-determination means to Autistic people from their perspective, (2) explore their perceptions of current barriers to being self-determined, and (3) learn from Autistic people about how they would like to be supported to be self-determined.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were done with 19 Autistic adults without co-occurring intellectual disability. Data were analyzed by three Autistic and two non-autistic researchers through an iterative process of data familiarization, coding, and theme development, informed by reflexive thematic analysis. Autistic Community Partners (ACP) were also engaged throughout the study, and provided substantive feedback on all methods and results.

Results

Self-determination held the same meaning for Autistic people as non-autistic people. More specifically, participants discussed having the opportunity and support to make choices and decisions in life without unnecessary control from others. Experiences of self-determination were centered around: (1) lack of opportunity, influenced by ableist expectations and discrimination, and (2) executive processing differences that interfered with choice and decision-making. Desired areas of support related to providing opportunities to (1) make choices and exert autonomy, (2) be supported to unmask and be valued as one's authentic Autistic self, and (3) offering pragmatic support for executive processing differences.

Conclusion

Autistic adults desire to be self-determined and can flourish with support, as they determine to be appropriate, which might look different from support commonly offered or sought by non-autistic people. Although individualized support was discussed, the ideal desired support was for an inclusive society that values and respects their neurodivergence, rather than imposing ableist expectations. An inclusive society is only achievable through reduced (or eliminated) stigma and prejudice against Autistic people.

ADHD and Psychological Need Fulfillment in College Students

OBJECTIVE

Self-determination theory suggests that the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs-autonomy, competence, relatedness-are uniquely associated with overall well-being. Undergraduates with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience more academic-related impairment and are less likely to graduate. Thus, well-being is important to understand and aim to improve in these students.

METHOD

Students at four universities (N = 2,197) completed a survey and reported previous diagnoses, ADHD symptoms, and psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Group differences were explored via t-tests; associations were explored via structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

The ADHD group reported lower satisfaction and higher frustration across all psychological needs. Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were uniquely associated with aspects of need fulfillment beyond the impact of comorbid symptoms. Sex differences emerged such that women with ADHD had the lowest overall need satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing need fulfillment, both satisfaction and frustration, in interventions with undergraduates with clinical/subclinical levels of ADHD may optimize treatment effectiveness.

The relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation: The role of individual differences and special educational needs

A within-person perspective with several measurement points per individual allows to analyse relations between variables within individuals. Such an approach is still scarce in research from a self-determination theory perspective. Therefore, this study measured basic psychological need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation in real-time and at several lessons with the experience sampling method. In this way, the relationship between need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation was investigated from both a group level and within-person perspective. The sample consisted of 146 students in pre-vocational secondary education, who completed 4128 diary questionnaires. At the group level, positive relationships between satisfaction of the needs and motivation were found. However, individual differences in the strength and direction of these relationships exist. This marks the importance of taking a within-person perspective, and studying both concepts at several lessons and individually. Students’ special educational needs play a role in the strength of the relationship: compared to typically developing students, satisfaction of autonomy is less important, while satisfaction of competence and relatedness with the teacher are more important for the intrinsic motivation of students with special educational needs. However, students’ special educational needs do not explain all differences between individual students. Future research may investigate other student characteristics to explore where individual differences in the importance of the basic psychological needs come from.

Differences in Meaning of Occupations Between Children With and Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Engaging children in meaningful occupations is a means of improving their participation. The objective of this study is to assess differences in dimensions of meaning of occupations-challenge, value, felt time, and autonomy-between children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders and their associations with the participation of each group. Thirty children with neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder [ASD]/attention deficit hyperactive disorder [ADHD]) and 30 typically developing children (M age = 9.37 ± 1.41 years) reported regarding dimensions of meaning of occupations. Their parents reported regarding children's participation. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders attach different meanings to their everyday activities than their typically developing peers, with a large effect size (ηp2 = .07-.12). For children with neurodevelopmental disorders, the value and autonomy dimensions of meaning were correlated with participation. The findings expand knowledge of occupational meaning and participation among children. To optimize the participation of children, occupational therapists should facilitate autonomy and engage children in activities that they value.

Students' Inattention Symptoms and Psychological Need Satisfaction During the Secondary School Transition: The Protective Role of Teachers' Involvement

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the prospective relationship from student inattention symptoms to changes in their psychological need satisfaction (PNS) during their transition to secondary school. In doing so, it has explored whether this temporal association was moderated by teachers' involvement (TI).

METHOD

A sample of 688 students (46% male; M_age = 11.82) followed in Grade 6 and Secondary 1 was selected from a stratified random list.

RESULTS

Inattention symptoms predicted a decrease in autonomy and competence need satisfaction, after adjusting for gender, anxiety, aggression, and PNS at baseline. In addition, TI in Secondary 1 attenuated the association between inattention and autonomy need satisfaction decline. TI also predicted a smaller decrease in competence need satisfaction, over and above the contribution of inattention.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support the importance of TI in PNS of students who are struggling with inattention throughout a critical transition. Implications for educational practices and research are discussed.

Smartphone-assisted psychoeducation in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Psychoeducation is generally recommended in the treatment of adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but only few studies have systematically assessed the effects of structured clinical psychoeducation. Moreover, although a considerable number of psychoeducational mobile applications exist, none have provided scientific evidence for their effectiveness or safety. Therefore, the present randomized controlled trial investigated a newly developed, free-to-use psychoeducation app for adults with ADHD as a support to a clinical psychoeducation group. 236 adults with ADHD were contacted for study participation, of whom 60 were finally randomized to a psychoeducation group supported either by our developed smartphone app (n = 30) or by traditional pen-and-paper brochures (n = 30). Psychoeducation treatments were conducted in groups of 10, with 8 weekly one-hour sessions between March 2019 and November 2020. Observer-rated ADHD symptom severity (IDA-R interview) was examined as the primary outcome parameter before and after treatment. Across both interventions, ADHD core symptoms were significantly reduced. Notably, the smartphone-assisted psychoeducation was significantly more effective in improving inattention and impulsivity and led to higher homework compliance than the brochure-assisted psychoeducation. No adverse events were reported.

Studying Motivation in ADHD: The Role of Internal Motives and the Relevance of Self Determination Theory

OBJECTIVE

Motivation is what moves us to act, what engages us in goal-directed behavior. The Self Determination Theory (SDT) is a motivational framework conceptualizing motivation-or internal motives-as a continuum of motivation qualities fueled by satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence. ADHD has been associated with motivational alterations that contribute to academic difficulties. However, ADHD theories and research are mainly focused on the effects of reinforcement on behavior, with little attention for the broader definition of motivation, that is, internal motives. Therefore, the main objective here was to introduce the SDT as theoretical framework within which we can develop relevant research questions about motivation in the field of ADHD.

METHOD

To this end, we (i) present the SDT as a comprehensive motivational framework, and (ii) describe current motivation-related ADHD theories and research.

RESULTS

Based on this, we suggest how SDT can be used as a guiding framework in generating relevant research questions that can help broaden our understanding of the role motivation plays in individuals with ADHD.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that ADHD research on motivation would benefit from (i) including internal motives as potential key mediators in the relation between environmental factors and behavior/symptoms; (ii) studying potential negative effects of external reinforcers intrinsic motivation, affect, and well-being. Finally, we conclude that this framework carries value for further development of clinical interventions for those with ADHD.

Integrative and Theoretical Reviews of Achievement Motivation for School Psychologists: Introduction to the Special Issue

A theoretically grounded understanding of achievement motivation appears to be largely overlooked in both initial education programs and ongoing professional development of school psychologists. This is unfortunate because motivation constructs such as perceived control, value, and self-beliefs predict students’ academic performance in a way that complements the variance explained by intelligence tests. This empirical evidence is rooted in long-standing theorizing that motivation constructs hold an important role alongside cognitive constructs in understanding student learning. Moreover, because motivation constructs are viewed as malleable, they provide an untapped source of intervention for school psychologists in supporting students. For these reasons, this special issue presents five review articles that integrate discrete theories of achievement motivation to the practice of school psychology. Largely representing Canadian expertise, the articles describe the potential for the control-value theory of emotions, achievement goal theory, mindset theory, self-determination theory, and self-regulated learning in the work of school psychologists. The final commentary article explicates a whole-child framework to highlight the role motivation can hold alongside cognition and guide school psychologists to partner these constructs for the betterment of children.

The Effects of Choice on the Reading Comprehension and Enjoyment of Children with Severe Inattention and no Attentional Difficulties

It has been proposed that enhancing motivation supports the learning of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Less is known if inattentive children with no ADHD diagnosis may similarly benefit, when being motivated to engage in an academic task. Using a repeated-measures design, this study investigated the effects of text choice as an intrinsic motivator on the reading comprehension and enjoyment of Year 4 children attending mainstream primary schools (N = 92; aged 8–9 years; 48 boys); comparing those with no attentional difficulties and severe inattention. We hypothesized that 1) choice would increase reading comprehension and enjoyment 2) choice would increase the reading comprehension and enjoyment of children both with severe inattention and no attentional difficulties 3) choice effects would be significantly greater for children with severe inattention than those with no attentional difficulties. Children participated in a reading intervention that included a Choice (experimental) and a No Choice (control) condition. Child inattention was measured via a Virtual Reality Continuous Performance Task (Omission errors, Reaction Time Variability) and Teacher Ratings. Choice significantly increased reading comprehension, but not enjoyment compared with no choice. Choice improved the reading comprehension of children with both severe inattention and no attentional difficulties. Choice did not benefit the reading of severely inattentive children more than that of children with no attentional difficulties. These findings underline the educational benefits of choice for young readers both with severe inattention and no attentional difficulties, which are further discussed drawing on existing theory and research.

Aiding diagnosis of childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder of the inattentive presentation: Discriminant function analysis of multi-domain measures including EEG

INTRODUCTION

We developed a neurocognitive assessment tool (NCAT) in consultation with mental health professionals working with children with AD/HD as a diagnostic aid and screening tool. This study examines the predictive utility of NCAT in the classification of children with AD/HD Inattentive presentation.

METHOD

Fifty three children with AD/HD Inattentive presentation and 161 typically-developing children completed an NCAT assessment. Discriminant function analyses examined group membership prediction for separate components of NCAT and for the components combined.

RESULTS

The combined model correctly classified 93.4 % of participants, with 91.4 % sensitivity and 93.9 % specificity. Contributions to classification were from SNAP-IV, psychological needs satisfaction, self-regulation, executive function performance, and EEG. The combined model resulted in a 9.3 % increase in specificity and 5.9 % increase in sensitivity compared to SNAP-IV alone.

CONCLUSIONS

NCAT provides good discrimination between children with and without AD/HD of the Inattentive presentation, and further investigation including other subtypes and comorbidities is warranted.

Effect of Neurocognitive Training for Children With ADHD at Improving Academic Engagement in Two Learning Settings

Objective: This preliminary study investigated effectiveness of neurocognitive training on academic engagement (AET) for children with ADHD. The training approach targeted working memory, inhibitory control, and attention/relaxation (via brain electrical activity). Method: A reversal design with a 2-week follow-up was used to assess the effectiveness of the treatment on two children with diagnosed ADHD in two learning settings. Direct observation was used to collect academic-related behavior. Results: Improvements in on-task expected behavior (ONT-EX) and general AET, as well as reductions in off-task motor activity (OFF-MA) and off-task passive behavior (OFF-PB) were observed for both students over baselines and across the settings. Moreover, differences in behavioral change were found between participants and settings. Conclusion: These findings support using the treatment for improving academic performance of children with ADHD. Future studies may investigate influences of contextual differences, nontreatment variables, or adult's feedback during the training session on treatment effectiveness.

Subject-Specific Self-Concept and Global Self-Esteem Mediate Risk Factors for Lower Competency in Mathematics and Reading

Self-concept and self-esteem are strongly tied to both academic achievement and risk factors for lower academic achievement. The German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) provides large-scale representative longitudinal data for mathematics, reasoning as well as risk factors, self-concept and self-esteem. Based on measurements in grades five to nine, this paper produces theory-based partially mediated latent growth models with multiple indicators and mediators. This includes the predictors of special education needs (SEN) status, socioeconomic status (SES), reasoning ability, gender, and school track, with both global self-esteem and subject-specific self-concept as mediators. Significant mediatory relationships are found for SEN, gender, reasoning ability, and school track on grade 5 math and reading competence, but neither direct nor mediated effects on rate of change were found. Implications for researchers and educators are discussed.

Incidencia de la experiencia docente con el TDAH en los conocimientos, la autoeficacia y los niveles de estrés docente

Los estudios que han comparado los conocimientos que tienen los profesores sin experiencia (PSE) y los profesores con experiencia profesional (PCE) sobre el Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad (TDAH) han mostrado resultados contradictorios. Además, el papel que tiene la experiencia docente con niños con TDAH sobre los conocimientos, la autoeficacia y el estrés docente no ha sido abordado en los estudios previos. Por ello, el presente estudio pretende: a) comparar los conocimientos, las creencias erróneas y las lagunas de conocimiento de los PCE y PSE de España, acerca del TDAH; b) analizar la experiencia de los PCE con niños con TDAH y la relación con los conocimientos, la autoeficacia, y el estrés docente; c) analizar las relaciones de los conocimientos acerca del TDAH con las variables sociodemográficas. Participaron 134 PSE y 115 PCE. Cumplimentaron la Escala de Conocimientos sobre el Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad (Kadds), el Índice de Estrés Docente (ITS) y un cuestionario de información sociodemográfica. Los resultados indican que los conocimientos de ambos grupos son similares, aunque los PSE obtuvieron más aciertos sobre síntomas/diagnóstico y los PCE presentaron más creencias erróneas en la escala total y sobre síntomas/diagnóstico. Los PCE que tuvieron experiencia con niños con TDAH experimentaron mayor nivel de estrés docente y mayor autoeficacia. Los conocimientos sobre el TDAH correlacionaron con las asignaturas de carrera, los cursos sobre TDAH y los años de experiencia profesional.

Explaining the Relationship Between ADHD Symptomatology and Amotivation in the Undergraduate Population: The Role of Basic Psychological Need Frustration

Recent research has shown that undergraduate students who experience both clinical and subclinical attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle academically. Furthermore, these students have cited academic amotivation as a factor in their academic difficulties. Self-determination theory (SDT) posits that a lack of motivation—known as amotivation—may be the result of the frustration of the basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness. For this reason, the current study examined whether basic psychological need frustration mediated the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic amotivation. A sample of undergraduate students completed an online questionnaire about their university experience. Data were analyzed using a mediational structural equation model. Results suggested significant relationships between all of the variables. Moreover, basic psychological need frustration fully mediated the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic amotivation. These results demonstrate the importance of fulfilling the basic psychological needs of undergraduate students experiencing ADHD symptomatology, as it may increase their academic motivation, and, subsequently, reduce their academic difficulties.