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Controlled Evaluation Of A Family-Based Optimization Intervention Implemented Through Video-Conferencing To Address Adhd And Oppositional Defiant Disorder In An Adolescent Athlete, Dereck Davy Phrathep

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adolescent athletes with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) experience unique challenges that impact their sport performance, such as making errors due to poor concentration and adverse relationships with referees due to poor anger management. Pharmacological treatments have shown to be successful in treating ADHD comorbid with ODD. However, there are negative consequences for pharmacological treatments for adolescent athletes (e.g., banned by sports organizations). Well-established behavioral interventions for ADHD and ODD in non-athlete populations have included family-based, cognitive-behavioral approaches. However, none of these interventions have been evaluated in competitive adolescent athletes. The current case trial involved …

Validity And Diagnostic Accuracy Of An Adhd Symptom Rating Scale For Identifying Adults With Adhd, Stacy Jean Graves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Specific rating scales of ADHD symptomatology are often included in neuropsychological assessments evaluating adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) is a widely used symptom rating scale that includes four questionnaires: self-report current, self-report childhood, other-report current, and other-report childhood. In addition to ADHD symptoms, each of the forms include items that assess functional impact and developmental history of symptomatology. While similar symptom rating scales have been found to have high validity and diagnostic utility in children, it is unclear the extent to which the BAARS-IV shares substantial common variance with other …

Addressing Disparities In Cross-Cultural Neuropsychological Assessment, Alicia Nuñez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There are existing disparities in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessment, diagnosis, and treatment among ethnic/racial minority children. Thus, greater empirical attention must be given to the neuropsychological assessment of Spanish-speaking children to address linguistic diversity and psychometric equivalence of commonly used measures, like the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC), across cultural groups. Therefore, this dissertation addressed the following aims: (I) examined the factor structure of the WISC–Fourth Edition Spanish (WISC-IV Spanish) in Hispanic children with ADHD, (II) evaluated the feasibility of developing short forms of the Spanish version of the WISC to expand the assessment toolbox for Spanish-speaking children with …

The Experience Of Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder During The Transition To Middle School, Hannah M. Berry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The transition to the middle school setting from elementary school has been the subject of research for decades as data shows a decline in academic success, socio-emotional health and motivation for students. There is a lack of research based transitional programs to support the needs of students at this time, specifically those with special needs. Though the name and specific criteria for students with ADHD has shifted, the impact this neurological disability has on students and learning is comprehensive. Symptoms of this disorder reach and affect each part of the student and their school experience, as well as those around …

Validity And Diagnostic Accuracy Of Broad Symptom Measures And Adhd Symptom Ratings For Identifying Individuals With Adhd Combined And Adhd Inattentive, Stacy Jean Graves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Neuropsychological assessments conducted with children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often includes broad measures of behavioral disturbances, as well as specific measures of ADHD symptomatology. However, it is unclear the extent to which these two types of measures share substantial common variance or are useful in improving diagnostic accuracy. In efforts to increase efficiency, the current study examined these matters to provide clinicians with information that might help improve the selection of behavioral ratings for evaluation purposes.

Participants included in this study were evaluated for clinical purposes at a community based private practice. Participants included 253 of these children …

Social Cognition In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Elyse Parke

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which impacts behavioral outcomes, including social functioning. Children with ADHD demonstrate impairment across a number of social domains, including aggressive behavior, poor social skills, and higher rates of Oppositional Defiant Disorder compared to typically developing peers. However, the underlying neurocognitive underpinnings of these poor social outcomes are unclear. Furthermore, little is known regarding the impact of ADHD symptomatology on aspects of social cognition. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity may differentially impact components of social cognition. Determining whether performance on social cognition tasks is predictive of social skills and problem behaviors is also an area …

The Relationship Between Gestational Pcb Exposure, Thyroid Hormones And Adhd, Vicki M Tripoli

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

PCB exposure has been associated with a reduction in circulating thyroid hormones via several different mechanisms. While thyroid hormones can influence many physiological endpoints in adults, precise concentrations during critical periods of gestation are crucial to normal development. Maternal consumption of PCB contaminated fish has been associated with developmental problems in animals and humans. Alterations of thyroid hormones is postulated to be one possible source of the developmental latencies associated with PCB exposure. Thus, this study investigated the influence of maternal thyroxine supplements in rodents exposed to a low dose of commercial PCBs; Pregnant Long-Evans rats were exposed to one …

The Effects Of Adhd Child And Parenting Groups, Tonya Yvonne Gardner-Hernandez

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders in the United States. The symptomatic behaviors of ADHD often start as noncompliant behaviors, which can manifest themselves into increasingly inappropriate behaviors. If left untreated ADHD can become the catalyst for additional disruptive behavior disorders, as the child develops and begins to experience an increase in academic demands, family and peer rejection; This study used a one-group pretest-posttest design that was implemented in four separate ADHD parent and child groups. There were 16 child participants and 9 parent participants. Three of the five hypotheses were accepted. The children's …