Counseling Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological processing disorder in which youth, in most cases before the age of seven years, show difficulty in the areas of attention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity (APA, 2013). Youth experience these difficulties in more than one setting, including the home, school, and interpersonal contexts. Youth who seek or are brought to counseling for ADHD usually demonstrate fidgeting, difficulty sitting still, or playing quietly. Additional symptoms include struggles with short-term memory, trouble following directions, difficulty completing assigned tasks, rapidly shifting attention from one activity to another before completion, and/or difficulty shifting attention when the focus is on something the youth enjoys (APA, 2013; Kendall & Comer, 2010).