What kinds of social problems might a teen have if he/she has ADHD or ADD in school? Think about how the disability might affect a teen's ability to make and maintain friendships. What strategies can you implement as their teacher to help them deal with their disorder?

During my Human Development Learning class, the topic of the day was students with ADHD. Before the start of class, my professor gave a quick write with a few questions to get the discussion rolling. I have heard of this disorder before but did not understand fully what it was. After looking it up, symptoms of ADHD include: difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (National Institute of Mental Health).

Students with ADHD/ADD feel the effects in their everyday lives. A crucial area is their social interactions at school. “Children with ADHD often have trouble with simple social interactions and struggle to follow social cues,” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention/Family Guide, 2006) therefore subjecting to possibly being loners in the classroom because they believe themselves to be misfits.

Establishing and maintaining friendships is crucial especially when a student is going through puberty. Knowing who you are and how you fit into society is a rite of passage we go through in establishing our self-image. Without the establishment of ones self, they are likely to see role confusion where the student is unsure about their function in life, which Erik Erikson reiterates when he says “Without rites of passage, were likely to see role confusion, meaning an uncertainty about one’s place in society” (Boeree, 1997).

. With this said, students will look at their peers who have ADHD/ADD and think they are bizarre because they have not been educated on the illness and consequently begin to distance himself or herself away from that student. Because of the student’s ignorance, they will not interact with their classmate who has ADHD/ADD because they may think they are “uncool” and “weird”. At times, a child with ADHD will do things that will bring on negative attention, which may come off as silly or abnormal according to the teacher and fellow students. Surprisingly enough, some who are against the idea of this order feel that “ADHD diagnostic criteria’s’ are sufficiently general or vague to allow most children with persistent unwanted behaviors to be classified as having ADHD of one type or another” (Green, 1994)

After reading about different strategies used to teach children with ADHD, I lean favorably towards the basic evaluation of the child's needs and strengths. I need to know what my student is good at. I need to encourage him/her in that area so that they do not feel as if they cannot accomplish anything. Also, helping my student to set goals for their own personal growth helps them feel as they have control over their disability, and that they are actively doing something to combat it.

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References

Boeree, C.G. (1997). Erik erikson 1902-1994. Personality Theories, Retrieved from http://www.social-psychology.de/do/pt_erikson.pdf

Green, C. (1994). Understanding add: attention deficit disorder. Sydney: Doubleday Australia.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention/Family Guide, Initials. (2006, September 26). Social problems, children with adhd. Retrieved from http://family.samhsa.gov/talk/helpadhd.aspx

National Institute of Mental Health, Initials. (n.d.). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/complete-index.shtml