Edge Foundation Blog

Earlier this month, Edge Foundation Executive Director, Sarah Wright, and researcher, Sharon Field of Wayne State University, presented Edge Foundation’s coaching pilot study results at the CHADD 21st Annual International Conference on ADHD in Cleveland, OH. As promised earlier this year, copies of our PowerPoint from this presentation are now available via email (see highlights of preliminary findings below).

Edge Foundation was well represented among the presenters. Sarah Wright and founding board member Nancy Ratey, both presented at breakout sessions, as did several of our coaches and coach trainers including Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, Russell Colver, Harriet Steinberg, Dan Pruitt, and Diane Ladd.

Preliminary findings highlights include:

• Coaching enhanced students’ ability to think about their goals in more effective ways.
• Students receiving coaching increased their use of tools and strategies to work more efficiently, and expanded their use of “self-talk” to persist when temporary barriers complicated their progress.
• Coaching had helped students become more proficient and confident as they pursued their goals.
• Students who received coaching reported a more positive sense of well-being due to their increased self-determination achieved through coaching.

Our findings were also echoed by a dissertation study presented at the conference by Abigail Levrini: ADHD Coaching and College Students: An 8 week study on 6 students.

The Edge Foundation’s nation-wide field study into the effects of ADHD coaching on outcomes for college students with ADHD will be completed next year and full study results will be available in August 2010.

Guest post by Edge Foundation Executive Director, Sarah Wright from her September ACO President’s letter

I  recently attended the Institute of Coaching conference co-sponsored by Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital. I want to share the exciting perspective of  Carol Kauffman and Margaret Moore, who presented Positive Psychology: Science at the Heart of Coaching.

The power of positive thinking

Focusing on our problems is normal:  Everyone tends to focus on problems. It’s probably evolutionary in nature-we evolved in a dangerous world where being able to notice threats was key to survival. Therefore,  negative, troublesome, threatening things tend to capture our attention like nothing else. Yet narrow and negative thinking can lead to stress and depression, which can lower performance and reduce connectedness, both in relationships and in thoughts.

The power of positive thinking: A broad and positive focus helps you identify more resources and make more connections. Positivity-feeling good-helps creativity, perseverance, confidence, competence, and even longevity. It is tempting to feel that health, wellness, and financial success are what contribute to happiness, but it turns out that happiness predicts these things, not the other way around.

In further studies of positivity and negativity, it turns out there is an ideal ratio between the two. The ideal ratio of positivity to negativity is between 3:1 and 11:1. In other words at least 3 positive thoughts to each negative one.  In this range, people have the resources to change, grow, and bounce back from adversity. They feel both supported and challenged, which develops resourcefulness and creativity. Business teams operating in this ideal zone have the highest profitability, customer satisfaction, and performance reviews.

Too much of a bad thing:  People who live in an environment where the positivity to negativity ratio is below 3:1 languish. They don’t have enough resources and inspiration to pick themselves up out of the muck and see all the things that are available to them. Unlike the more positive folks, they are on a downward spiral. Sadly, it is estimated that 80% of people fall into this category.

Turn up the positive volume!

Notice, remember, articulate and savor what is already there. Practice noticing the good stuff, because there is plenty of it around. From the aroma of that first cup of coffee in the morning (even if we made a mess making it), to the parting “Bye! I love you. Have a nice day!” (even if we had to say it several times because we kept forgetting things as we tried to get out the door), to the great coaching session where both feel pumped by the end, there’s a lot to notice and feel positive about. Notice, too, how we contributed to the good stuff, notice how we are actively creating the positive experiences. Then allow yourself to feel empowered to improve your life and develop your resourcefulness and creativity!

Thank you to Gayla Wilson who contributed to this post.

Earlier this year we did a series on ADHD and anxiety.   You may recall that the rate of anxiety disorders is much higher in folks with ADHD than in the general public.  Are you surprised to hear that there is also a higher rate of depression among people who have ADHD than the general population?   ADHD often comes with a host of other issues such as learning disabilities, anxiety and depression.  Perhaps depression is the most life-threatening condition of all.  This post is the first of a series that explores living with ADHD and depression.

What are the known causes for depression?

There is no single cause of depression.  Depression happens because of a combination of things including:

Genes – some types of depression tend to run in families.  Genes are the “blueprints” for who we are, and we inherit them from our parents.  Scientists are looking for the specific genes that may be involved in depression.

Brain chemistry and structure – when chemicals in the brain are not at the right levels, depression can occur.  These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, help cells in the brain communicate with each other.  By looking at pictures of the brain, scientists can also see that the structure of the brain in people who have depression looks different than in people who do not have depression.  Scientists are working to figure out why these differences occur.

Environmental and psychological factors – trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, and other stressors can trigger depression.  Scientists are working to figure out why depression occurs in some people but not in others with the same or similar experiences.  They are also studying why some people recover quickly from depression and others do not.

Why do people with ADHD have depression at higher rates than the general population?

Unfortunately science hasn’t cracked the code of why some people get depressed and others do not.  However, Aaron Beckr (who is known as the father of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) recently gave us a clue when he said  “brain scans have found that in depressed people the prefrontal cortex, known as the seat of rational thought, tends to be underactive.”  If you’ve read much about ADHD, you’ll know that this  area of the brain that is also underactive in ADHD and executive function disorders.

Research shows that people with ADHD have a higher incidence of depression due to the many obstacles, disappointments, perceived failures, and lack of support and understanding that often comes with living with ADHD.  The typical person with ADHD has an uphill battle facing the many myths and misconceptions surrounding the diagnosis.  The years of hearing “if only you would try harder” can take its toll and low self esteem is common.

All teens — especially those with ADHD — should be tested for depression

Last April the journal of Pediatrics reported that the government-appointed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all teens should be tested for depression by their primary care physician.  Nearly 2 million U.S. teens are affected by depression, but most suffer undiagnosed.  When you consider that a higher than average number of those kids have ADHD, it is a compelling reason to be sure your teen is screened for depression at their annual exam.

For more information on depression:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

And watch in coming weeks for Part 2 in the series which will explore types of depression.