Attention Difficulties

Complex Behavioural Difficulty

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a behavioural difficulty seen in children and young people. It continues to be the subject of much controversy due to its complexity and its paradoxical nature. Characteristic behaviours of AD/HD include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These are persistent over time, are present in at least two settings (e.g. home and school) and their onset can be traced to before 7 years of age. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), where there is no hyperactive (hyperkinetic) component, is often overlooked. It is also described as AD/HD (predominantly inattentive type).

The British Psychological Society published a helpful description:

"A full understanding of AD/HD in a particular child requires consideration of biological factors (especially genetic influences and brain function), psychological factors (especially cognitive and emotional processes and the child’s internal world) and social factors (especially parental child-rearing practices and classroom management)" (BPS 2000)

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