ADHD

ADHD is most commonly noticed around the age of 5, and according to medical guidelines, it affects 5% of school-aged children with the ratio of males to females in assessed as having ADHD being at least 4 to 1. The observed prevalence of ADHD in boys and girls may be skewed as the characteristics of hyperactivity and impulsivity are seen more commonly in boys, whereas girls with ADHD, are more likely to display inattentive characteristics. Research suggests that 80% of children assessed as having ADHD continue to experience those characteristics during adolescence and 67% continue to have the characteristics into adulthood.

ADHD is not considered just a problem with poor attention but is additionally a problem with moderating emotions and effective self-regulation, particularly of activity level and impulse control. 

Dealing with the demands of everyday life requires self-regulation to develop successful life skills. For people with ADHD, problems with self-regulation often cause difficulty-managing emotions, so they might respond to small events with excessive behavior and emotion while not noticing more important events. Often there is a sense of skills being out of line with the individual’s age and intellectual ability.

In addition, problems with self-control make it difficult to develop good self-habits. These issues can result in complications in many aspects of life, including school or job achievement, performance in athletic activities, driving, as well as success in relationships, specifically friendships, dating, and marriage.