Handwriting execution is based on the cognitive, kinesthetic, motor skills, and manual co-ordination skills of an individual. The deterioration in handwriting quality is a common implication of neurological disorders. Difficulty and degradation in handwriting has been attributed to the sensory motor deficits prevalent in developmental disorders.…

Rehabilitation professionals working with students with disabilities and the families of those students face unique challenges in providing inclusive services to special education student populations. There needs to be a focus on adaptive teaching methods that provide quality experience for students with varying disabilities to promote student…

Background: To test whether the retrospective reporting of the age of onset impairment criterion for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) required in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV" (DSM-IV) complicates identification of new and known child and adolescent cases later in life. Methods: A birth-records-based…

Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has emerged as a powerful new tool to identify genomic abnormalities associated with a wide range of developmental disabilities including congenital malformations, cognitive impairment, and behavioral abnormalities. CMA includes array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and single nucleotide polymorphism…

Objective: The validity of a diagnosis of ADHD in children with a high intelligence quotient (IQ) remains controversial. Using a multidisciplinary approach, rigorous diagnostic criteria, and worldwide-validated psychometric instruments, we identified a group of children attending public schools in southern Brazil for co-occurrence of high IQ and…

We aimed to determine whether it is possible to discriminate between children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and children with reactive attachment disorder (RAD) using standardized assessment tools for RAD. The study involved 107 children: 38 with a diagnosis of RAD and 30 with ADHD were recruited through community child and…

A study involving 103 children (ages 5-17) examined the clinical utility of the ADHD Symptom Checklist-4 (ADHD-SC4), a screening measure for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Findings support the internal consistency and validity of the ADHD-SC4 as a screening instrument for ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and aggressive…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) frequently co-occur. Comorbidity of these 2 childhood disruptive behavior domains has not been satisfactorily explained at either a structural or etiological level. The current study evaluated a bifactor model, which allows for a "g" factor in addition to…

A survey of 1 school district found 136 students (out of 14,229) with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of which 77 were receiving special education services; 40 were also identified as behavior disordered, 22 as learning disabled, and 7 as mildly mentally retarded. Fifty students were in general education classrooms with resource…

This article addresses the advantages, disadvantages, and possible solutions to increased administrative problems posed by five proposed new categories of behavioral disorders: (1) attention deficit disorder, (2) traumatic brain injury, (3) fetal alcohol syndrome, (4) prenatal substance abuse, and (5) fragile X syndrome. (DB)

Internal consistency and construct and criterion-related validity of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale were studied with 540 students (ages 5-10), with emphasis on its utility as a measure of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and other disruptive behavior disorders. Internal consistency of factors ranged from .87 to .94. Convergent validity…

Children and adolescents with disabilities are an extremely heterogeneous group of diverse learners, each with unique learning strengths and needs. Often misunderstood and frequently less served by the counseling profession, these children and adolescents need counseling services just as much as, if not more than, other children. Federal…

This article reviews "ADHD with Comorbid Disorders: Clinical Assessment and Management" by Steven R. Pliszka, Caryn L. Carlson, and James M. Swanson, a book that provides information on children displaying both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other comorbid psychiatric conditions, complex psychopharmacological interventions that may…

In recent years, there has been an alarming rise in psychological disorders diagnosed in children in the United States. As a result, the number of children in school with Individualized Education Plans (IEP) continues to grow in order to meet these children's special needs in the classroom. Despite the rise in psychological disorders, many…

African American adolescent males are significantly more likely than their Caucasian peers to receive a diagnosis of Conduct Disorder. In contrast, their Caucasian peers are more often diagnosed with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. Discrepancies in the way diagnosis is made cause more African American adolescent males to be classified …