February 12, 2025

NEWS STUDY: Focus Group Study of Primary Teachers' Perceptions of Children with ADHD who Struggle Socially

Children with ADHD often face challenges in social interactions, leading to long-term consequences if not properly addressed. While various interventions exist, many fail to consider the broader social context in which these children interact. A recent study conducted in Bergen, Norway, explored how primary school teachers perceive their role in supporting children with ADHD who struggle socially and the strategies they use to assist them.

Investigating Teacher Perspectives

Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with five focus groups of primary school teachers. Using reflexive thematic analysis, they identified two major themes:

  1. Understanding Individual Needs in Context – Teachers emphasized that every child is unique, and ADHD should not define a student's social struggles. They highlighted the importance of considering the child’s specific social challenges within their broader environment.
  2. Adapting Strategies Through Continuous Assessment – Teachers described their work as a dynamic and flexible process, adjusting their approaches based on the child's evolving needs. This included providing subtle background support as well as direct guidance in social interactions.
A Personalized Approach to Social Support

Rather than relying on standardized interventions, teachers tailored their strategies to foster an inclusive and supportive social environment. Their methods included both active participation in social situations and behind-the-scenes efforts to encourage peer inclusion and understanding.

Rethinking ADHD and Social Development

This study underscores the need to move beyond labels and recognize children with ADHD as individuals with distinct social needs. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping these children’s experiences, using flexible and personalized approaches to promote positive social interactions. By integrating social context and individualized support, educators can help children with ADHD build meaningful connections and navigate their social world more effectively.

Munch M, Hjelen Stige S, Adólfsdóttir S, Sørensen L, Osnes B. "They are just as different as the rest of us" - a focus group study of primary teachers' perceptions of children with ADHD who struggle socially. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2025 Dec;20(1):2465215. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2025.2465215. Epub 2025 Feb 11. PMID: 39930964.

Related posts

News Tuesday: Fidgeting and ADHD

A recent study delved into the connection between fidgeting and cognitive performance in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Recognizing that hyperactivity often manifests as fidgeting, the researchers sought to understand its role in attention and performance during cognitively demanding tasks. They designed a framework to quantify meaningful fidgeting variables using actigraphy devices.

(Note: Actigraphy is a non-invasive method of monitoring human rest/activity cycles. It involves the use of a small, wearable device called an actigraph or actimetry sensor, typically worn on the wrist, similar to a watch. The actigraph records movement data over extended periods, often days to weeks, to track sleep patterns, activity levels, and circadian rhythms. In this study, actigraphy devices were used to measure fidgeting by recording the participants' movements continuously during the cognitive task. This data provided objective, quantitative measures of fidgeting, allowing the researchers to analyze its relationship with attention and task performance.)

The study involved 70 adult participants aged 18-50, all diagnosed with ADHD. Participants underwent a thorough screening process, including clinical interviews and ADHD symptom ratings. The analysis revealed that fidgeting increased during correct trials, particularly in participants with consistent reaction times, suggesting that fidgeting helps sustain attention. Interestingly, fidgeting patterns varied between early and later trials, further highlighting its role in maintaining focus over time.

Additionally, a correlation analysis validated the relevance of the newly defined fidget variables with ADHD symptom severity. This finding suggests that fidgeting may act as a compensatory mechanism for individuals with ADHD, aiding in their ability to maintain attention during tasks requiring cognitive control.

This study provides valuable insights into the role of fidgeting in adults with ADHD, suggesting that it may help sustain attention during challenging cognitive tasks. By introducing and validating new fidget variables, the researchers hope to standardize future quantitative research in this area. Understanding the compensatory role of fidgeting can lead to better management strategies for ADHD, emphasizing the potential benefits of movement for maintaining focus.

July 16, 2024

Identifying Autistic-Like Symptoms in Children with ADHD

NEWS TUESDAY: Identifying Autistic-Like Symptoms in Children with ADHD

A recent study investigated the presence of autistic-like symptoms in children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Given the overlapping social difficulties in both ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), distinguishing between the two disorders can be challenging. This study aims to pinpoint specific patterns of autistic symptoms in children with ADHD, comparing them to those with ASD using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2).

The research involved 43 school-age children divided into two groups:

  • ADHD Group (25 children): Initially referred for ASD symptoms but later diagnosed with ADHD.
  • ASD Group (18 children): Children diagnosed with ASD.

Researchers used ADOS-2 to evaluate differences in communication deficits, social interaction challenges, and repetitive behaviors between the two groups. The study also compared IQ, age, ADOS-2 domain scores, and externalizing/internalizing problems.

Key Findings:

  • Significant differences were found between the ADHD and ASD groups in ADOS-2 domain scores, including Social Affect, Restricted and Repetitive Behavior, and Total Score.
  • On an individual item level, children with ADHD displayed similar atypical behaviors as those with ASD in social-communication areas such as "Pointing" and "Gestures".
  • Both groups showed comparable frequencies in behaviors like "Stereotyped/idiosyncratic words or phrases", "Mannerisms", and "Repetitive interests and behaviors".

The study highlights the importance of identifying transdiagnostic domains that overlap between ADHD and ASD. The transdiagnostic domain refers to a set of symptoms or behaviors that are common across multiple diagnostic categories rather than being specific to just one. Identifying these domains in mental health practice and in psychological research is crucial to understanding, properly diagnosing, and treating conditions with overlapping features. This understanding could pave the way for tailored treatments addressing the specific needs of children with ADHD, particularly those exhibiting autistic-like symptoms.

July 9, 2024

Effect of Physical Activity on Attention in School-age Children with ADHD: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Overview

Attention is a critical determinant of academic achievement, influencing domains such as language, literacy, and mathematics. To explore whether physical activity can improve attention in children with ADHD, an international team conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies. The goal was to evaluate the impact of various physical activity regimens on attention-related outcomes in this population.

Methods

The researchers performed a comprehensive search of the medical literature to identify studies examining the effects of physical activity on attention in schoolchildren with ADHD. They included 10 studies with a total of 474 participants in their meta-analysis. The studies evaluated two main types of physical activity:

  • Mentally engaging physical activities
  • Aerobic exercise

Additionally, they examined variations based on the frequency, duration, and type of control groups used in the studies. To assess consistency, they also analyzed heterogeneity (variability of outcomes) and checked for potential publication bias.

Summary

Key findings from the meta-analysis include:

  1. Effectiveness of Mentally Engaging Activities:some text
    • Seven studies (168 participants) involving mentally engaging physical activities showed large reductions in attention problems.
    • Heterogeneity was significantly reduced for these studies.
  2. Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise:some text
    • Three studies (306 participants) using aerobic exercise alone found no improvements in attention.
  3. Impact of Control Groups:some text
    • Studies with no intervention as a control group (4 studies, 81 participants) reported large improvements in attention problems.
    • Those comparing physical activity with other interventions (6 studies, 393 participants) found only small improvements.
  4. Frequency and Duration:some text
    • Duration of physical activity made little difference. Studies with sessions of an hour or more had slightly better outcomes, but the difference was not significant.
    • Surprisingly, lower frequency was more effective:some text
      • One to two sessions per week (7 studies, 162 participants) led to large reductions in attention problems.
      • Three or more sessions per week (3 studies, 312 participants) showed no improvement.
Conclusion

The authors concluded that mentally engaging exercise is more effective than aerobic exercise in improving attention problems in schoolchildren with ADHD. Furthermore, higher frequency and longer duration of physical activity do not necessarily yield better outcomes.

This research underscores the importance of tailoring physical activity interventions to emphasize cognitive engagement over intensity or duration. By refining strategies, educators and parents can better support children with ADHD in achieving academic success.   But take note:  given the results from controlled studies, it seems clear that if there is a positive effect of exercise, it is very small so should not replace standard treatments for ADHD.  

Population Study Finds Strong Association Between Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Offspring ADHD

Taiwanese Nationwide Population Study Finds Strong Association Between Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Offspring ADHD

Background: 

Since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978, assisted reproductive technology (ART) has led to over 10 million births worldwide.  

There are four types of embryo transfers, depending on whether they are fresh or frozen, and on their developmental stage. 

Fresh cleavage stage embryos are transferred on day 2 or 3 following fertilization and typically contain four to eight relatively large, undifferentiated cells. Fresh blastocyst embryos are transferred on day 5 or 6 after fertilization. At this point, they have developed over a hundred cells and have differentiated into two types: the inner cell mass, which develops into the fetus, and the outer cell layer, which forms the placenta. 

Globally, more children are now born through assisted reproductive technology using frozen-thawed embryo transfer than fresh embryo transfer.  

Research suggests that ART-conceived offspring may face increased risks of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, chromosomal, urogenital diseases, and cancers. Might they also be at increased risk for ADHD? 

Study:

Taiwan’s single-payer health insurance covers over 99% of people and records all their healthcare activity. Since 1998, it has kept an ART database for all couples registered for IVF treatment. 

A Taiwanese research team reviewed all records for the five-year period from 2013 through 2017, ultimately analyzing 3,125 live singleton births from fresh cleavage stages, 1,332 from fresh blastocysts, 1,465 from frozen cleavage stages, and 4,708 from frozen blastocysts, alongside 878,643 naturally conceived singleton births. 

The team controlled for the following potential confounders: pregnancy-induced hypertension, chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, unhealthy lifestyle, placenta previa, placenta abruption, preterm premature rupture of membrane, and postpartum hemorrhage. 

Results:

With these adjustments, cleavage stage embryo transfers, whether fresh or frozen, were associated with a seven-fold higher rate of ADHD diagnosis in offspring than natural conception. 

Frozen blastocyst embryo transfers were likewise linked to a seven-fold increase in ADHD diagnoses in offspring compared to natural conception. Notably, fresh blastocyst transfers showed a 19-fold increase, likely due to the smaller number of cases in this category. 

The team concluded, “Compared to natural conception, ART is associated with higher risks, particularly for preterm birth, ADHD, and developmental delay.” 

Conclusion: 

This large national cohort suggests that ART-conceived singletons face higher rates of several adverse outcomes, including preterm birth, ADHD, and developmental delay. Clinicians and prospective parents should therefore weigh these potential associations when counseling and planning care, prioritize optimized ART protocols and perinatal management, and ensure early developmental surveillance for ART-conceived children so concerns can be identified and addressed promptly.

It is important to note that the findings also point to the likely contribution of underlying parental infertility in these developmental outcomes. Future research should aim to disentangle parental- versus procedure-related risks to clarify absolute risk magnitudes. As always, associations of this time should not be interpreted as causal due to the inability of observational studies to rule out all possible confounding factors.

October 1, 2025

Why Do So Many Young People Miss an ADHD Diagnosis? Insights from a New Study

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions, yet many young people, especially girls, receive a diagnosis late or not at all. This matters, because a delayed diagnosis often means missed opportunities for support, treatment, and improved long-term outcomes. A recent study by Barclay and colleagues (2024) sheds new light on why ADHD recognition is inconsistent, and what we can do about it.

The Study:

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 10,000 children in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. They compared children whose ADHD was recognized early (ages 5–7), later (ages 11–14), or not recognized at all, despite evidence of symptoms. The team also looked at differences between boys and girls to better understand why diagnosis patterns vary by sex.

Key Findings:
  1. Severity Drives Earlier Recognition
    Children who were diagnosed at a younger age often had more visible difficulties: emotional outbursts, peer conflict, conduct issues, and lower cognitive scores. In other words, the “louder” and more disruptive the symptoms, the more likely ADHD was flagged early.

  2. “Quieter” ADHD May Be Overlooked
    Children with stronger prosocial skills or higher cognitive ability were less likely to be recognized, even if they had clear ADHD symptoms. These children may be able to “mask” their difficulties, or adults may misinterpret their struggles as personality quirks rather than signs of ADHD.

  3. Emotional Dysregulation Matters
    Emotional dysregulation—big swings in mood, difficulty calming down, intense frustration—was strongly linked to recognized ADHD in boys, but not in girls. This suggests that clinicians may pay closer attention to these behaviors in boys, while overlooking them in girls.

  4. Co-occurring Conditions Can Influence Diagnosis
    Children with autism were more likely to have their ADHD identified. On the flip side, those who engaged in more physical activity were slightly less likely to be recognized, though the reasons for this are not yet clear.

What This Means for Clinicians:

The study highlights the importance of looking beyond the “classic” hyperactive child stereotype when considering ADHD. Clinicians should:

  • Pay attention to symptoms of emotional dysregulation, even if they are not part of standard diagnostic checklists.

  • Consider ADHD in children with good grades or strong social skills if other symptoms are present.

  • Be mindful of gender differences, since girls may be more likely to internalize symptoms or present with inattentiveness rather than hyperactivity.

What This Means for Parents and Patients:

If you’re a parent, it’s important to trust your observations. If your child struggles with focus, organization, or emotional regulation—even if they are doing well academically or socially—these could still be signs of ADHD. Advocating for an evaluation can make a big difference.

Moving Forward

This study makes clear that ADHD is not one-size-fits-all. Recognition often depends on how symptoms show up, how disruptive they appear, and even the child’s gender. By broadening our awareness and refining our screening practices, we can ensure that fewer children slip through the cracks and more receive the support they need early in life.

September 30, 2025

ADHD Medication and Academic Achievement: What Do We Really Know?

Parents and teachers often ask: Does ADHD medication actually improve grades and school performance? The answer is: yes, but with important limitations. Medications are very effective at reducing inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity but their impact on long-term academic outcomes like grades and test scores is not as consistent.

In the Classroom

The medications for ADHD consistently: Improve attention, reduce classroom disruptions, increase time spent on-task and help children complete more schoolwork and homework. Medication can help children with ADHD access learning by improving the conditions for paying attention and persisting with work.

Does Medication Improve Test Scores and Grades?

This is where the picture gets more complicated.  Medications have  stronger effect on how much work is completed but a weaker effect on accuracy. Many studies show that children on medication attempt more problems in reading, math, and spelling, but the number of correct answers doesn’t always improve as much. Some studies find small but significant improvements in national exam scores and higher education entrance tests during periods when children with ADHD are medicated.

Grades improve, as well, but modestly. Large registry studies in Sweden show that students who consistently take medication earn higher grades than those who don’t. However, these gains usually do not close the achievement gap with peers who do not have ADHD.

Keep in mind that small improvements for a group as a whole mean that some children are benefiting greatly from medication and others not at all.  We have no way of predicting which children will improve and which do not. 

Medication Alone Isn’t Enough

Academic success depends on more than just reducing inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Skills like organization, planning, studying, and managing long-term projects are also critical.  Medication cannot teach these skills.

So, in addition to medication, the patient's treatment program should include educational support (tutoring, structured study skills programs), behavioral interventions (parent training, classroom management strategies), and accommodations at school (extra time, reduced distractions, organizational aids) Parents should discuss with their prescriber which of these methods would be appropriate.

Conclusions 

ADHD medication is a powerful tool for reducing symptoms and supporting learning. It improves test scores and grades for some children, especially when taken consistently. But it is not a magic bullet for academic success. The best results come when medication is combined with educational and behavioral supports that help children build the skills they need to thrive in school and beyond.

September 17, 2025