Fifty years ago, Congress dramatically expanded schools’ responsibilities when it passed the nation’s primary special education law, requiring children with disabilities to receive a “free appropriate public education” alongside their non-disabled peers. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, as it was then called, required schools to identify students with disabilities and make individualized plans…

Key points: Traditional goal-setting and goal-getting measures aren’t always neurodivergent-friendly. Neurodivergent-friendly tips include tapping into your values and focusing on small actions. It’s important to cultivate self-compassion.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often requires long-term pharmacologic management in childhood, with methylphenidate (MPH) as a first-line stimulant. However, concerns persist regarding the potential effects of both ADHD and its treatment on physical growth trajectories and later-life health. A large retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open examined associations between childhood ADHD diagnoses, cumulative MPH…

A world first study of ADHD in women across their lifespan has found there may be systemic misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of females, rather than a male disposition to ADHD.

For many women, the transition to parenthood is a life-altering event filled with new challenges and responsibilities. A new study suggests that for some, this period may also reveal previously undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Researchers in Denmark found that while diagnosis rates drop during pregnancy, they rise noticeably in the years following childbirth.…

A 17-year longitudinal study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev followed children from birth to adolescence to explore whether early-life factors can predict ADHD, and for whom the environment matters most. Published in Infant and Child Development, the study tracked ~125 children and their parents, examining infant temperament, parental ADHD symptoms, and the richness of…

New research by SIEPR scholars Adrienne Sabety and Maya Rossin-Slater shows how early exposure to public preschool benefits low-income children with behavioral and developmental conditions.

A study explores ADHD coaches and their services, the first step to understanding their safety and effectiveness.

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder often experience a profound disconnect between the emotional help they crave and the support they feel they receive from romantic partners. A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships indicates that the severity of ADHD symptoms directly influences these interpersonal dynamics. The findings suggest that the specific…

Janelle Wagner, PhD, a clinical psychologist and research professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, provided clinical insights on a recently presented study on whether elevated ADHD symptoms impact post epilepsy surgery seizure freedom.

A recent study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders provides new evidence that difficult childhood experiences may contribute to symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in young adults. The findings suggest that these adverse events disrupt an individual’s ability to regulate emotions and practice self-compassion, which in turn exacerbates attention and hyperactivity issues.

Key Point: Compared with healthy control participants, children with ADHD had increased functional connectivity in the right precentral gyrus, which is associated with motor-related neural activity.