Gender Differences in ADHD

The present study investigated preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy in classroom management involving students with symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A total of 137 Chinese preservice teachers were randomly presented with one of four vignettes involving a student character with ADHD symptoms, with manipulations including the character’s gender and diagnostic label of ADHD. Upon reading the vignette, participants responded to questions concerning their self‐efficacy in inclusive classroom management involving the character. Findings based on analysis of covariance indicated an interaction effect of the vignette character’s gender and label on teachers’ self‐efficacy. Specifically, teachers perceived greater self‐efficacy in a classroom involving a girl with an ADHD label than in a classroom involving a girl with no label or a boy with a label. Findings enriched the literature concerning the roles of gender and label in preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy towar...

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has affected numerous individuals worldwide, with potentially negative health and life outcomes. Similarly, self-harm (SH) concerns clinicians that observe this behavior in clinical populations. SH is more common amongst individuals with mental and neurodevelopmental disorders and is observed more in the female population. Although a link between SH and ADHD has recently been established, it is pertinent to investigate this link regarding sex differences further, to help clinicians understand the underlying roles of sex on the relationship between ADHD and SH. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to determine whether female individuals diagnosed with ADHD are at a heightened risk for SH compared to male individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Out of the initial 504 articles acquired through 3 databases; A total of 8 studies were analyzed in this study. Four studies alluded to possible sex differences, with the female sex being at a heightened risk for SH. However, three of these studies were conducted on all-female samples, whereas one study has not analyzed sex differences statistically. Furthermore, the remaining four studies have a perfect divide between finding sex effects to be present and not finding any sex effects. Thereupon, no clear conclusion on the existence of sex effects within self-harming ADHD populations can be drawn, making the results of this study inconclusive. Thus, it is recommended to fill this gap within the literature with more research on self-harm and ADHD concerning sex and gender differences.

Background Boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) demonstrate disruptive behaviour at significantly higher rates compared to girls. Disruptive behaviour often develops as a result of negative interaction patterns within the caregiving relationship. Given the importance of parental cognitions as mediators of parental behaviour, the consideration of parent and child sex in the investigation of causal attributions regarding AD/HD may, at least partially, explain sex differences in the prevalence of disruptive behaviour among children with AD/HD. Aim To examine the effect of parent and child sex on parental causal attributions and reactions about AD/HD and to investigate the interrelationships between these variables. Sample Three hundred and seventeen mothers and 317 fathers of boys and girls aged 4-6 years and enrolled in kindergartens in Athens. Method A Greek version of the Parental Account of the Causes of Childhood Problems Questionnaire was used, which followed a vignette about a hypothetical child displaying symptoms of AD/HD. Half of the participants received a male and another half received a female version of the vignette. Results The child's sex greatly influenced parents' causal attributions about AD/HD. Higher ratings of intentionality were conferred to boys with AD/HD than girls and these attributions were related to stricter responses towards boys. In contrast, parents who considered biological dysfunction as underlying AD/HD, they mostly did so in the case of girls. Minimal effect of parent sex on causal attributions was found. Conclusions Because causal attributions of intentionality relate to the response of more strictness and such attributions are more prevalent for boys than girls, then these perceptions about the aetiology of AD/HD in boys may be at the basis of negative interaction patterns. The increase of such interaction patterns may place boys at a more vulnerable position towards the development of secondary behaviour problems.

Background Boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) demonstrate disruptive behaviour at significantly higher rates compared to girls. Disruptive behaviour often develops as a result of negative interaction patterns within the caregiving relationship. Given the importance of parental cognitions as mediators of parental behaviour, the consideration of parent and child sex in the investigation of causal attributions regarding AD/HD may, at least partially, explain sex differences in the prevalence of disruptive behaviour among children with AD/HD. Aim To examine the effect of parent and child sex on parental causal attributions and reactions about AD/HD and to investigate the interrelationships between these variables. Sample Three hundred and seventeen mothers and 317 fathers of boys and girls aged 4-6 years and enrolled in kindergartens in Athens. Method A Greek version of the Parental Account of the Causes of Childhood Problems Questionnaire was used, which followed a vignette about a hypothetical child displaying symptoms of AD/HD. Half of the participants received a male and another half received a female version of the vignette. Results The child's sex greatly influenced parents' causal attributions about AD/HD. Higher ratings of intentionality were conferred to boys with AD/HD than girls and these attributions were related to stricter responses towards boys. In contrast, parents who considered biological dysfunction as underlying AD/HD, they mostly did so in the case of girls. Minimal effect of parent sex on causal attributions was found. Conclusions Because causal attributions of intentionality relate to the response of more strictness and such attributions are more prevalent for boys than girls, then these perceptions about the aetiology of AD/HD in boys may be at the basis of negative interaction patterns. The increase of such interaction patterns may place boys at a more vulnerable position towards the development of secondary behaviour problems.

Background Boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) demonstrate disruptive behaviour at significantly higher rates compared to girls. Disruptive behaviour often develops as a result of negative interaction patterns within the caregiving relationship. Given the importance of parental cognitions as mediators of parental behaviour, the consideration of parent and child sex in the investigation of causal attributions regarding AD/HD may, at least partially, explain sex differences in the prevalence of disruptive behaviour among children with AD/HD. Aim To examine the effect of parent and child sex on parental causal attributions and reactions about AD/HD and to investigate the interrelationships between these variables. Sample Three hundred and seventeen mothers and 317 fathers of boys and girls aged 4-6 years and enrolled in kindergartens in Athens. Method A Greek version of the Parental Account of the Causes of Childhood Problems Questionnaire was used, which followed a vignette about a hypothetical child displaying symptoms of AD/HD. Half of the participants received a male and another half received a female version of the vignette. Results The child's sex greatly influenced parents' causal attributions about AD/HD. Higher ratings of intentionality were conferred to boys with AD/HD than girls and these attributions were related to stricter responses towards boys. In contrast, parents who considered biological dysfunction as underlying AD/HD, they mostly did so in the case of girls. Minimal effect of parent sex on causal attributions was found. Conclusions Because causal attributions of intentionality relate to the response of more strictness and such attributions are more prevalent for boys than girls, then these perceptions about the aetiology of AD/HD in boys may be at the basis of negative interaction patterns. The increase of such interaction patterns may place boys at a more vulnerable position towards the development of secondary behaviour problems.

Boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) demonstrate disruptive behaviour at significantly higher rates compared to girls. Disruptive behaviour often develops as a result of negative interaction patterns within the caregiving relationship. Given the importance of parental cognitions as mediators of parental behaviour, the consideration of parent and child sex in the investigation of causal attributions regarding ADHD may, at least partially, explain sex differences in the prevalence of disruptive behaviour among children with ADHD. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of parent and child sex on parental causal attributions and reactions about ADHD and to investigate the interrelationships between these variables. The sample consisted of 317 mothers and 317 fathers of boys and girls aged 4-6, enrolled in kindergartens in Athens. A Greek version of the Parental Account of the Causes of Childhood Problems Questionnaire, which followed a vignette about a hypothetical child, displaying symptoms of ADHD was used. Half of the participants received a male and half a female version of the vignette. Results showed that the child’s sex greatly influenced parents’ causal attributions about ADHD. Higher ratings of intentionality were conferred to boys with ADHD than girls and these attributions were related to stricter responses towards boys. In contrast, parents who considered biological dysfunction as underlying ADHD, they mostly did so in the case of girls. Minimal effect of parent sex on causal attributions was found. Tο conclude, since causal attributions of intentionality relate to the response of more strictness, and since such attributions are more prevalent for boys than girls, then distorted perceptions about the etiology of ADHD in boys may be at the basis of negative interaction patterns. The increase of such interaction patterns may place boys at a more vulnerable position towards the development of secondary behaviour problems.

This study examined the impact of child gender on mothers' emotional responses to AD/HD, self-efficacy beliefs and perceived severity of AD/HD. Mothers (N = 118) of pre-schoolers were presented with a vignette describing a typical boy or girl with AD/HD and then completed three scales relating to their emotional response to AD/HD behaviour, their sense of parenting efficacy and their attribu-tions about the severity of problems described. AD/HD behaviour elicited negative emotions and maternal self-efficacy was low, especially for male AD/HD. Perceived severity of the behaviour was negatively correlated with maternal sense of self-efficacy. These findings suggest that mothers of " normal " children have fixed negative emotions and low sense of self-efficacy towards a child with AD/HD and that these factors are key elements for change in the implementation of a therapeutic programme.

ADHD in India is culturally viewed as a school specific condition. Parents perceive accessing child psychiatric services as stigmatizing and prefer educational interventions for ADHD. There is a crucial need for research that restructures information and intervention paradigms about ADHD within a school context. The objectives of the present study were to understand teacher perspectives in relation to ADHD behaviours as they present in mainstream elementary classrooms. Located in Bangalore Urban district, India, the purposive sample consisted of teachers and students from the elementary section of 5 regular schools. Data was obtained through in-depth interviews, classroom observations and responses to vignettes. Responses were qualitatively analysed for themes and main concepts. Results indicate that teachers use a framework model to locate the construct of ADHD in a developmental context. ADHD behaviours are attributed to parent disciplining styles and environmental factors such as over exposure to electronic media. Teachers respond to classroom challenging behaviours using directive and heuristic strategies. The study highlights the need to recognize cultural complexities in understanding the ADHD construct.