| Dr. Russell Barkley is an international authority on | | | | suggests that the developmental level of the ADHD |
| ADHD. His lectures and writings offer a somewhat | | | | child can be estimated by subtracting 30% from the |
| different theory on ADHD than generally described in | | | | child's chronological age (i.e. a 10 year old ADHD child |
| the popular literature. He states that ADHD is actually | | | | functions more like that of a 7 year old). Although |
| "... a disorder of performance". He theorizes the | | | | the ADHD child may have knowledge of the skills and |
| ADHD child to be delayed in their development of | | | | abilities to better control or manage their behavior, |
| self-regulation and self-control. Specifically, the ADHD | | | | they have difficulty demonstrating their skills due to |
| child cannot effectively pause and think before | | | | deficits in inhibiting their own impulsive behavior. |
| responding to situational demands. Under developed | | | | The ADHD child is lacking in the internal restraints |
| brain neurology impairs the ADHD child's ability to | | | | necessary to regulate their own behavior. They |
| delay impulsive responding to immediate "here and | | | | essentially have less capacity to self-direct and |
| now" environmental events. | | | | persist on a task in order to satisfy a future oriented |
| This deficit in behavior inhibition disrupts the ADHD | | | | goal. Future oriented and goal directed behavior is |
| child's performance at the point of responding to | | | | disrupted by their here and now orientation. Their |
| expectations. Noticeably absent from this symptom | | | | under developed internal guidance and regulation |
| description are the deficits in attention commonly | | | | tends to function inefficiently especially without |
| regarded as the primary disruption of ADHD. Dr. | | | | external reinforcement and structural supports in their |
| Barkley clarifies that problems with inattention should | | | | environment. |
| be characterized as an information processing | | | | The 30 percent lag in the development of self-control |
| disorder as opposed to the impairment regarded as | | | | and inhibition remains evident even as the ADHD child |
| ADHD. He states that an information processing | | | | grows older. It is unlikely to anticipate a full recovery |
| weakness is a qualitatively different disorder of | | | | in the ADHD child's ability to inhibit behavior. Yet it is |
| attention that should not be confused with ADHD. | | | | still possible for the ADHD child to learn the strategies |
| In Dr. Barkley's opinion, ADHD is over simplified when | | | | and modifications necessary to become higher |
| it is described as a disorder of attention. Instead, he | | | | functioning individuals. When we compare one person |
| understands ADHD as the inability to inhibit behavior | | | | to the next, do we not recognize a great deal of |
| long enough to self regulate, control, manage, and | | | | variability in self control and self management across |
| organize oneself so as to meet situational | | | | the normal population? Do we not recognize some |
| expectations. The mental mechanism controlling these | | | | individuals as characteristically disorganized and |
| abilities is often referred to as executive functioning. | | | | "scattered" personalities? Do we not hold high regard |
| This mental mechanism that allows a person to | | | | for those individuals who are masterful in organizing |
| self-control and self-regulate is the core ability that | | | | and "juggling" a number of activities at once? |
| separates humans from other species. Self control | | | | A simplistic understanding recognizes the ADHD child |
| allows the individual to pause, think, and consider | | | | to fall at the low end of the self management |
| different behavioral choices to various situational | | | | continuum. This suggests that most non-ADHD |
| circumstances. | | | | individuals likely fall somewhat higher on the same |
| In contrast, the ADHD child lives in the moment | | | | continuum demonstrating improved behavior inhibition |
| governed by the impulse to immediately gratify their | | | | and self management. Inherently, this notion appears |
| needs and interests. An impulsive, uninhibited, and | | | | to enjoy some good face validity especially as we |
| under regulated ADHD child fails to demonstrate | | | | recognize the tremendous variability of self |
| thoughtful, planned, and controlled behavior. This | | | | management skills in the general population. In fact, |
| tendency is commonly observed in the egocentric | | | | many individuals will continually strive to improve their |
| behavior of the younger child. In the ADHD child, the | | | | self management skills so as to be more competent |
| development of behavior inhibition is substantially | | | | and successful in their daily functioning. Most |
| delayed similar to the egocentric behavior of the | | | | individuals place high value on orchestrated goal |
| younger child. The ADHD child has difficulty at the | | | | directed behavior. While some people are quite |
| point of performance, the point in time when they | | | | accomplished in focusing their energy towards quality |
| must respond to a behavior expectation. Under | | | | performance, others will struggle in reaching higher |
| developed self-control and self-regulation interferes | | | | performance expectations due to weaker ability to |
| with the ADHD child's ability to function an effective | | | | focus mental energies and persist towards goal |
| manner. | | | | achievement. Here we can recognize the ADHD child |
| Dr. Barkley theorizes that the ADHD child is typically | | | | to be least accomplished in demonstrating behavior |
| 30% delayed in their ability to self-manage, | | | | inhibition and managed goal directed behavior. |
| self-control, organize, and plan for their future. He | | | | |