The Clinical Characteristics of ADHD Diagnosed in Adolescents in Comparison With Younger Children

Internet Altruistic Behaviors in Adolescents: Roles of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Impulsiveness, and Perceived Social Support

This study examined the associations of an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, impulsivity, and perceived social support with Internet altruistic behaviors (IABs) in adolescents and the associations of IABs with depression, suicidality, and nonsuicidal self-injury in this group. In total, 176 adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years with ADHD and 173 adolescents without ADHD (matched with the ADHD group by sex and age) participated in this study. The adolescents rated their IABs on the Internet altruistic behavior scale, impulsivity on the Barratt impulsiveness scale version 11, and perceived family and peer support on the family and social relationship domains of the Taiwanese quality of life questionnaire for adolescents. The associations of ADHD, impulsivity, and social support with IABs and the associations of IABs with depression, suicidality, and nonsuicidal self-injury were examined through multivariable linear regression analysis. The present study found that more time spent on the Internet (p < 0.001), greater perceived peer support (p < 0.001), greater impulsiveness characterized by a lack of self-control and perseverance (p < 0.001), poorer ability to plan and look ahead (p < 0.001), and an ADHD diagnosis (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with a higher level of IABs. IABs were not significantly associated with severe depression, suicidality, or nonsuicidal self-injury (all p > 0.05). The results of this study indicated that multiple individual and social factors were associated with IABs in adolescents. IABs were not significantly associated with severe depression, suicidality, or nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescents.

ADHD and the avoidance of mental effort: the role of response inhibition and avoidance motivation

OBJECTIVE

The tendency of people with ADHD to avoid tasks that require mental effort impacts their academic achievement. Findings in the literature suggest that children with ADHD find cognitive tasks more effortful and uncomfortable than their typically developing peers. However, neuropsychological processes contributing to this remain unclear. The present study investigated whether the relationship between prepotent motor response inhibition and avoiding mental effort is mediated by the ability to resist avoidance motivation and whether this proposed mediation mechanism is contingent on ADHD diagnosis.

METHOD

40 children with ADHD and 40 gender and age-matched typically developing peers participated in the study. They completed the Cognitive Effort Avoidance Measure, the Go/No-go Task, and the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory-Personality Questionnaire-Children. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were employed to test the hypotheses.

RESULTS

Children with ADHD scored lower in response inhibition and resisting avoidance motivation. Poorer scores in these variables were associated with a higher avoidance rate. Moreover, the ability to resist avoidance motivation completely mediated the relationship between response inhibition and avoidance rate only among children with ADHD.

CONCLUSION

Findings imply that poorer response inhibition led to an increase in avoidance motivation among children with ADHD, which becomes challenging to regulate effectively due to an impairment in the ability to resist avoidance motivation. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

ADHD is associated with migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis

An association between primary headaches and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has long been suggested. Moreover, headache is regarded as a common side effect of stimulants, the most effective treatment for ADHD. So far, no systematic review has evaluated the potential association between ADHD and headache. We performed a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of all reported studies on ADHD and primary headaches. Our analysis showed a positive association between ADHD and migraine (OR 1.322, 95% CI 1.018-1717, p value 0.036), but not with tension-type headache. There is a significant association between migraine and ADHD. The mechanisms underlying this association remain to be elucidated, warranting further studies.