Little research has examined the structure and prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in university students, including whether symptom structure conforms to the bidimensional (i.e., inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity) conceptualization of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and whether self-reported symptoms vary across gender and country. A sample of 1,209 university students from three countries (Italy, New Zealand, and the United States) completed a 24-item self-report measure (the Young Adult Rating Scale) tapping ADHD symptomatology. Factor analyses within the U.S. and New Zealand samples supported a bidimensional symptom structure, whereas weaker support for this conceptualization was provided by the Italian sample. Participants did not vary significantly by gender in symptom report; however, Italian students reported significantly more inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms than students from the United States, and students from New Zealand reported more inattention symptoms than students from the United States. The prevalence of self-reported ADHD symptoms beyond DSM-IV thresholds for diagnosis ranged from 0% (Italian women) to 8.1% (New Zealand men). The implications of these results for the use of DSM-IV criteria in identifying university students with ADHD are discussed.
This study examined the effects of using software with a game format (as a supplement to teacher instruction) to improve math performance of 3 fourth-to sixth-grade students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Following baseline (observation under normal classroom conditions), the math software was introduced sequentially using a multiple baseline design across participants. Observational data were collected during the baseline and experimental conditions along with a set of curriculum-based math probes, which were used throughout the study. The hypothesis that math software with a game format would improve the academic performance and increase attention of all participants was partially supported. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered one of the most common childhood behavior problems, affecting between 3% to 5% of schoolaged children (American Psychiatric Association, 1994;Barkley, 1998). Children with this disorder exhibit developmentally deviant levels of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity that significantly impair functioning in a variety of areas. Specifically, children with ADHD experience higher than average difficulties with academic achievement and approximately 25% to 30% may also have one or more learning disabilities (Barkley, 1998;DuPaul & Stoner, 1994). Because the academic and behavioral difficulties associated with this disorder can be severe and chronic, various school-based interventions addressing ADHD symptoms have been investigated (Pfiffner & Barkley, 1998).The two primary interventions for ADHD are psychostimulant medication 242
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