Dissertation Prospectus How Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) contribute to learning disability? Andre C. Justice 11/11/2016 Argosy University PSY 492   Introduction Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (also Hyperkinetic Disorder in the UK) is a complex mental health condition that is associated with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention and is diagnosed in childhood, but can persist into adolescence through to adulthood. On the other hand, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by horror or terror through experience or witness of a traumatic event. It is usually synonymous with flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, coupled with unmanageable thoughts about the same incident. Mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and their effects on learning have been subjects of discussion over the periods. The underlying mechanisms of how they add to learning disabilities are one question that has brought about mixed reactions among the mental health professionals. Further questions as to whether they are neurological or psychological disorders have also been raised (Mason-Allgood, 2005). However, the answers are still debatable. Background of the study Education remains one of the greatest anchors of success in the world. It provides the keys to career opportunities to school going children as well as enlightening the generations. A vast majority of successful people owe it to education. Parents are therefore obliged to ensure that their children get the from the education sector in the best environment possible. Our societies are prone to preventable disasters that frequently occur. The calamities range from parental conflicts, robbery, fatal road accidents, the demise of loved ones to national disasters such as terrorism and civil wars. These disasters have far-reaching effects on children, going beyond the physical into their mental orientation (Smith, 2010). Some of the children end up in trauma and stress by such events. Many of the bottlenecks that we have in our schools are evidence of ADHD (Tiah, 2013). The stress and trauma are substantially reflected in the manner of the decline in the children’s class performance, being linked closely to these disasters. For instance, a study revealed a young child with difficulties going to sleep, experienced a decline in concentration both at home and school. The study further showed that each time he hears a siren he raises the window shouting “Cops are coming! Cops are coming” (Thomas, 1996 p. 311). This steps up the need to put more emphasis on neurological and psychological examination. Conceptual/Theoretical Framework There are very many diagnoses which contain many variables which impact behavior and particularly the attention of a child. The Association of Higher Education and Disability (.

1. Dissertation Prospectus
How Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and
post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) contribute to learning
disability?
Andre C. Justice
11/11/2016
Argosy University
PSY 492
Introduction
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (also
Hyperkinetic Disorder in the UK) is a complex mental health
condition that is associated with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and
inattention and is diagnosed in childhood, but can persist into
adolescence through to adulthood. On the other hand, Post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition
that is triggered by horror or terror through experience or
witness of a traumatic event. It is usually synonymous with
flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, coupled with
unmanageable thoughts about the same incident.
Mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and

2. their effects on learning have been subjects of discussion over
the periods. The underlying mechanisms of how they add to
learning disabilities are one question that has brought about
mixed reactions among the mental health professionals. Further
questions as to whether they are neurological or psychological
disorders have also been raised (Mason-Allgood, 2005).
However, the answers are still debatable.
Background of the study
Education remains one of the greatest anchors of success in the
world. It provides the keys to career opportunities to school
going children as well as enlightening the generations. A vast
majority of successful people owe it to education. Parents are
therefore obliged to ensure that their children get the from the
education sector in the best environment possible.
Our societies are prone to preventable disasters that frequently
occur. The calamities range from parental conflicts, robbery,
fatal road accidents, the demise of loved ones to national
disasters such as terrorism and civil wars. These disasters have
far-reaching effects on children, going beyond the physical into
their mental orientation (Smith, 2010). Some of the children end
up in trauma and stress by such events. Many of the bottlenecks
that we have in our schools are evidence of ADHD (Tiah, 2013).
The stress and trauma are substantially reflected in the manner
of the decline in the children’s class performance, being linked
closely to these disasters. For instance, a study revealed a
young child with difficulties going to sleep, experienced a
decline in concentration both at home and school. The study
further showed that each time he hears a siren he raises the
window shouting “Cops are coming! Cops are coming”
(Thomas, 1996 p. 311). This steps up the need to put more
emphasis on neurological and psychological examination.
Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

3. There are very many diagnoses which contain many variables
which impact behavior and particularly the attention of a child.
The Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
recently, implemented a theoretical framework that significantly
reviews its guidance for accommodating persons with disability
in the higher learning set up (Brock, 2012). This is as a result of
increased poor performance and dropout cases, which is further
attributed to institutional issues which at times influence the
cognitive ability and attention. However, previous research has
shown that lack of interest and commitment is a primary motive
for children dropping out of school. The research found out that
the class is very boring and offers little or no motivation to the
children to work hard (Luft, 2015). For instance, one of the
participants difficult issues examined previously in the study
shows a lack of preparedness. On the other hand, similar
behavioral strategies apply when a complex issue is more
related to task performance.
Literature Review.
Below are the articles revised to help show the relationship that
exists between learning ability and ADHD or PTSD and further
reveal the gaps that there exist in the study. The absence of
focus on the forethought reflection phases of SRL training is an
apparent gap in this literature. Another gap in teaching reading
is the brain development in children: for example, countries like
Finland, which performs exemplary well in international tests,
including a test on reading, don’t begin teaching reading, except
when the children are seven years of age, when their cognitive
abilities are more advanced. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Act of 2001through its reading first provision tend to lay
emphasis on reading instruction in American schools. Thus,
bridging the gap in test performance between ethnic minorities
and mainstream “white” Americans. Subsequently, the NRP did
not investigate research that mainly addressed the bottlenecks

4. encountered by the ethnic minority students. A good example is
English language learners and students speaking substandard
dialects of English (Reyhren, 2008)
Problem statement.
In the recent past, there has been an alarming rise in a bad
performance of children as depicted by their declining grades,
though being sufficiently taught at school. This has been
majorly a course of worry among children, especially, those
whose parents engage in frequent conflicts, or those who have
lost their loved ones in the recent past and those who have
experienced a traumatic event such as civil unrest or robbery
with violence. This has triggered the need to research on the
effects of mental disorder on the learning capability of children.
The research findings will adversely contribute to the
development of a recovery program to the victims to ensure that
exemplary performance among children is restored. The
findings may also help in providing a framework to mitigate
these disasters in future.
On the other hand, children who suffer from ADHD have poor
social skills while at school. There has been slow social
development among children with Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity, which in turn may affect their relationship with
their teachers, hence poor performance. ADHD can also be
considered a possible cause of learning disability among
children.
Sample and location
This study targets a middle size population of approximately
500 children, part of whom have suffered Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or Post-traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) or are normal. The three groups shall be
subject to class teaching for one year then after which they shall

5. be evaluated using a standardized test.
Research questions
Below are the research questions which the study will try to
answer through its findings. The questions will also act as
guidelines to the research project.
1. To what extent do mental disorders such as Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) affect learning among school going,
children?
2. How does such school going children behave when
learning, especially, in a school setting?
Hypothesis/variable
H0: There is no significant difference in school performance
between children who are suffering from mental disorders and
those who are normal.
H1: Children suffering from mental disorders perform
significantly worse than the healthy ones.
Methodology and Design
The method used in these recearchs is to study three groups of
children (Normal children, children suffering from ADHD and
children suffering from PTSD) to teaching for one year. The
children are then supposed to be subjected to sets of
standardized tests. The results are then keyed in the table
below.
Number of children First Examination

6. (Average Results) Second Examination
(Average Results) Third Examination
(Average Results)
Children with ADHD
Boys
Girls
Children with PTSD
Boys
Girls
Normal Children
Boys
Girls
Purpose of the statement.
The goal of this study is to determine the extent to which
mental disorders affect children’s performances in the

7. examination and consequently the overall academic excellence
in the society. It aims at exploring how ADHD and PTSD
contribute to a decline in performance of children in school.
This is done through a controlled study of the behavior of
affected children and normal ones in school.
Data Collection method.
The study will use largely depend on primary data collected
through a controlled study of the performance and behavior of
about 500 children. The children to be employed in this study
are either with a background of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
or are normal. They are to be subjected to a controlled standard
learning and examination to evaluate their performance within a
year. However, the study will also use some secondary sources
of data to assess other people’s work and identify the gaps.
Data analysis.
Data analysis is the process of analyzing the information and
evaluating the relevant information that can be instrumental in
aiding better decision making (Sivia and Skilling, 2006). The
data collected will be subjected to a series of statistical tests.
These data will be analyzed through computation and
assessment of various measures from examination results. These
actions include measure of central tendency, dispersion and
other statistical measures such as mean and modal, using
statistical software.
The results of the analysis can then be used to make a
conclusion on the hypotheses to establish the truth concerning
them. The results can be used to confirm or reject if there exist
any significant difference in school performance between
children suffering from ADHD and PTSD, and mentally well
children.

8. References
Brock, S. E. (2012). Research Summaries. Communique, 41(4),
16-17.
Luft, P. (January 01, 2015). Transition Services for DHH
Adolescents and Young Adults With Disabilities:
Challenges and Theoretical Frameworks. American Annals of
the Deaf,160, 4, 395-414.
Mason-Allgood, C. (2005). The relationship between
externalizing and internalizing symptoms of ADHD and
PTSD in severely emotionally disturbed (SED) children.
Reyhner, J. (2008). The reading wars. Retrieved June 1, 2016,
fromhttp://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Reading_Wars.html
Smith, P. (2010). Post-traumatic stress disorder: Cognitive
therapy with children and young people. London: Routledge.
Tiah, T. M., Shapiro, E. S., DuPaul, G. J., Kern, L., & Manz, P.
H. (2013). Predictability of ADHD Behavioral Symptoms: A
Follow-Up Examination in At-Risk Preschool Children.
Thomas, J. M. (March 07, 1996). Traumatic stress disorder
presents as hyperactivity and disruptive 'behavior: Case
Presentation, diagnoses, and treatment. Infant Mental Health
Journal, 16, 4, 306-317.
The real cost of a bomb threat at your kid's school. (n.d.).
Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/03/the-cost-of-

9. school-threats-on-.html
I can tell if its copied