Martin L. Kutscher, M.D., PLLC

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Child’s Name:                                                                              Date:

Your Name:                                                                                 Martin L. Kutscher, MD  © 2002, 2006

                                                 ADHD Pop Quiz
                                         [Back to ADHD  e-Book Table of Contents.]

INSTRUCTIONS: This open book quiz is designed to test and re-enforce your understanding of ADHD.   Patients of Dr. Kutscher are required to print out this form and bring their graded quizzes to their next visit. Click here for a summary of correct answers.

Questions 1-5 relate to the following true story: 

A 13-year-old son with ADHD discovers that his bite-plate is missing from its handy container.  He angrily accuses everyone else of having taken it.  His mother explains the blatantly obvious fact that no one else would be interested in his used dental appliance.  He continues screaming and blaming her for its absence.

1)      This child is demonstrating good executive function.

a)      True.

b)      False.            

For Answer #1, click the arrow to the right . (b) This is an example of poor executive function. His brain is not plotting a rational strategy for his problem.

2)      The accusatory behavior of this otherwise bright child can best be explained by:

a)      He’s not quite smart enough to comprehend that his bite-plate isn’t worth stealing.

b)      He’s overwhelmed by frustration.

For Answer #2, click the arrow to the right. (b) The brakeless state of ADHD is frequently overwhelming.

3)      Yelling back and accusing your child of behaving horribly would:

a)      Prompt him to say, “Oh, thanks for helping me see the error of my ways.”

b)      Cause him to be even further overwhelmed.

For Answer #3, click the arrow to the right. (b)When he looks out of control, he IS out of control. He's not just faking it. He really IS loosing it. Any further stimulus just pours fuel on the fire.

4)      An initial attempt at helping him solve the problem is unsuccessful.  A useful parental response at this point would be:

a)      Keep escalating the screaming match.

b)      Stop, walk away, retain your composure, and resist the urge to get in the last word. Resume discussion when everyone is calm.

For Answer #4, click the arrow to the right. (b) Always seek to defuse, not inflame. Yelling back makes it worse. (Also: If they get a "rise" out of you, then they "won.")

5)      This type of outrageous behavior in your ADHD child:

a)      Is a common part of the brakeless behaviors we summarize with the letters ADHD.

b)      Is the result of a nasty and selfish child.

For Answer #5, click the arrow to the right. (a) Blaming others and "mis-truths" are very common in ADHD. Many of the over-reactions, poor judgements, and thoughtless behaviors that you see are part of executive dysfunction which is part of ADHD (and teen years).

6)      Your child with ADHD plays guitar all afternoon, rather than complete her college applications.  You can understand this behavior by realizing that:

a)      She’d secretly rather stay at home another four years rather than go to college.

b)      Life with ADHD means life right now, in the present. It’s not that she doesn’t care about college. Rather, amazingly enough, this future event doesn’t even show up on her radar screen right now.

For Answer #6, click the arrow to the right. (b) If you want to understand the behaviors of someone with ADHD, then ask yourself, "What behavior makes sense if you only had 4 seconds left to live?"

7)      ADHD is primarily a disorder of:

a)      Inattention

b)      Inhibition of anything but the present stimulus or thought.

For Answer #7, click the arrow to the right. (b) The primary problem in ADHD is lack of inhibitions. This includes lack of inhibition on distractions and impulsivity. ADHDers are flooded by the present. There is no chance to think about anything else.

8)      Executive functions include all except the following:

a)      Ability to recall--and thus learn from--the past.

b)      Ability to read well.

c)      Ability to anticipate and plan for the future.

d)      Ability to control frustrations.

For Answer #8, click the arrow to the right. (b) Executive function is the ability to figure out where we came from, where we need to go, and how to get there. This involves talking ourselves through the problem, and juggling lots of thoughts at once (working memory), and a sense of time. Without the executive function of inhibition, we never get to use the other executive functions well.

9)      Your goal as parent is to:

a)      Further inflame your child’s overwhelmed state, leading to a deteriorating relationship.

b)      See your role as therapist, teaching her to STOP and defuse the situation.

For Answer #9, click the arrow to the right. (b) One way to survive an ADHDer's problem is to see yourself as an aid, trying to finesse the person through a difficult time. Seeing yourselves as adversaries will be much harder to deal with.

10)  FOR EXTRA CREDIT, answer Steven Covey’s question: What do you want you child to say about you at your eulogy?

For Answer #10, click the arrow to the right. Hey, you're on your own with this essay question. But here is a hint: Do you want her to say: "We always fought and I hated Mom, but my room WAS clean!"

 

 

Click here for a summary of correct answers.

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