Introduction
Social interactions among children are crucial for their cognitive development and personality improvement. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood (Conrad, 2007). Recent statistics show shocking data on the prevalence of ADHD among children in the U.S. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2016 report shows that about 6.1 million, 9.4%, children in the U.S are estimated to have been diagnosed with ADHD (Danielson et al., 2022). The increasing rate of ADHD in the American context encumbers social and economic development. The paper will try to explain why ADHD is serious, how it can damage a person’s quality of life long into adulthood, and how it can interfere with one’s ability to develop meaningful friendships and succeed in the workplace by exploring three research questions.
Research Questions
What are the Socio-Economic Implications of ADHD?
ADHD has a wide range of social and economic implications that interfere with an individual’s interactions with other members of society. According to research by Markham & Spencer (2022), ADHD is commonly associated with socio-economic problems such as poor academic performance, family adversity, and poor maternal mental health. Exploring the research question on the socio-economic implications of ADHD would require an understanding of six factors: income, education, employment, community safety, and social support. Therefore, in a long essay, I will need to relate the impact of ADHD on each of the six factors. Answering this research question is important for developing preventive and victim support strategies. Moreover, the research question matter since ADHD is one of the causes of social issues such as increased crime rates, putting social growth at stake.
What is the Major ADHD Cause?
The statistics by CDC, as discussed in the introduction, show that ADHD is common among children of ages 13 to 17 years. Answering the research question on the most common cause of ADHD is important for understanding the presented statistics. ADHD is associated with environmental factors such as exposure to chemicals such as lead. Additionally, personal choices such as binge drinking and smoking tobacco by pregnant women can cause the disorder in infants. Exploring this research question in a longer essay would require critical analysis of each of the most common causes of the disorder among children of ages 13 to 17 years. Therefore, this research question matter because it can help identify the most common cause of the disorder, providing a perfect preventive measure. While pregnant women indulge in alcoholism and tobacco smoking, they put the lives of their children at stake.
How can ADHD Interfere Quality of Life of Children and Adult Victims?
Effective social interactions and relationships involve success at a personal level. For instance, students who perform better at school have a high chance of succeeding in future endeavours. Quality of life is the standard of health and happiness experienced by society members (Danielson et al., 2022). ADHD is likely to reduce the quality of life since the victims face socio-economic problems (Goodwin, 2010). Therefore, it is important to answer the research question of how ADHD interferes with the quality of life as victims progress into adulthood since control measures can be developed. The research question can be explored in a long essay by identifying the impacts of the disorder among adult victims. The research question matter since it can help compare the effects of ADHD between children and adult victims. Given the broad social duties of the adults, the economic status of their close family members is at risk if their quality of life is reduced.
Conclusion
ADHD is one of the most common disorders among children in the U.S. The disorder is associated with social and economic problems that may reduce the quality of life of the victims. Environmental conditions and personal choices of pregnant women can cause the disorder. Understanding the socio-economic impact of ADHD is crucial in establishing social support for the victims and their families. Additionally, identifying the major cause of the disorder helps in developing preventive strategies. Therefore, ADHD encumbers social and economic development.
References
Conrad, P. (2007). The medicalization of society on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders. The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Danielson, M. L., Holbrook, J. R., Bitsko, R. H., Newsome, K., Charania, S. N., McCord, R. F., Kogan, M. D., & Blumberg, S. J. (2022). State-level estimates of the prevalence of parent-reported ADHD diagnosis and treatment among U.S. children and adolescents, 2016 to 2019. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(13), 108705472210999. Web.
Goodwin, M. (2010). On the other side of hyperactivity: An anthropology of ADHD. [Doctoral dissertation, University of California Berkeley]. Web.
Markham, W. A., & Spencer, N. (2022). Factors that mediate the relationships between household socio-economic status and childhood Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 17(3), e0262988. Web.