Comment: Bridging the gap between patients and healthcare professionals
Rob Rodrigues Pereira
pp 3-3
One of the aims of a medical journal is to raise awareness of a medical or psychological problem, and enhance readers’ knowledge on the subject. They must then try to integrate the newly acquired information in their clinical practice. However, implementing a new intervention can be much more difficult than conducting the underlying research.
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ADHD and smoking in adolescence – how can we intervene?
Julianne Dare and Fiona Finlay
pp 4-6
It is well documented that adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to smoke cigarettes than their non-ADHD peers (19–46% versus 10–24%, respectively). Adolescents with ADHD start smoking at an earlier age, are more likely to progress to regular use, find it more difficult to quit and find it harder to maintain abstinence. In this article, we aim to look at the evidence to understand why adolescents with ADHD are more likely to smoke, and to review smoking prevention strategies.
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Non-violent resistance and ADHD
Peter Jakob
pp 7-11
Non-violent resistance (NVR) is a new form of systemic family therapy, originally developed specifically to help families respond more effectively to aggressive, violent, harmful or self-destructive behaviour in children. More recently, NVR methods have been integrated with cognitive behavioural principles to aid families with young people who show anxious-avoidant, compulsive or self-isolating behaviours and who do not co-operate in psychological therapy.
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Resources: UK ADHD Partnership
pp 11-11
UKAP (UK ADHD Partnership) was established in January 2013 by a group of mental health and allied professionals who share an interest in improving outcomes and securing better futures for children and young people affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The partnership brings together practitioners with a wealth of experience from a range of services who are committed to raising awareness and understanding of ADHD and fostering positive outcomes.
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UKAP Conference 2014 – reducing the cost of ADHD
Jack Hollingdale and Emma Woodhouse
pp 12-13
The 1st UK ADHD Partnership (UKAP) conference took place in April 2014 in London, bringing together a multidisciplinary panel of experts to explore the direct and hidden costs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across educational, criminal justice and healthcare services. There was an air of excitement among the international audience, anticipating presentations from eminent authorities in the field of ADHD who discussed current and pressing issues and what should be done moving forward.
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Parental attitudes towards medication for concomitant ADHD and intellectual disability
Sunkanmi Osunsanmi and Nathan Hodson
pp 14-16
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with impairments in the domains of activity, attention and impulse control. The impairment in activity often presents as excessive motor restlessness and non-goal-directed overactivity. Attention deficit refers to the inability to persist in age-appropriate tasks and tendencies towards distractibility and disorganisation. Impulsivity is primarily the tendency towards ‘doing before thinking’, poor self-regulation and immediate gratification.
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Book review: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for ADHD in Adolescents and Adults – A Psychological Guide to Practice, 2nd edn
Jade Smith
pp 16-16
Sometimes you don’t realise you have been missing something until you find it – a shortcut on your way to work, a good coffee or a £10 note in your coat pocket. It doesn’t matter how you found it, but once you have it, this thing makes your day a little brighter and your tasks a little easier. And you feel glad you have discovered it.
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Abstract Watch: Exploring current research for the treatment of ADHD
Nigel Humphrey
pp 17-17
In this issue, we highlight an enlightening piece of qualitative research from Charach et al, in which they explore the differences in beliefs regarding treatment between adolescents and their parents. This has implications for medication compliance and highlights the importance of good psychoeducation for adolescents at the time of diagnosis. We also look at a study by Javelot et al, which investigates issues in the relatively common polypharmacy combination of methylphenidate and risperidone.
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