Sophie Brigstocke wrote to Adders.org ....
In the psychology department at the University of York, together with local CAMHS we have designed a web based, fun and colourful tool to try and improve self-esteem, impulsivity, and emotional regulation in children and young people who have been diagnosed with ADHD. Children and young people can click on links to the Internet to read information about celebrities who experience ADHD. The worksheet is keen to focus on the individual's strengths and abilities. It's dynamic and interactive to keep them on task. The complete checklists, can also type in text (with an adult helper) and it contains pictures, sounds and child friendly language. The worksheet has a therapeutic function encouraging individuals to see their positive attributes and feel in control of their behaviour management. It also has an educational function, teaching individuals what ADHD actually is and why some people experience it.
We are asking for your help as we would really like to pilot the worksheet with children between 7 and 14 with attention difficulties (a formal diagnosis is not necessary). We would like hear their views about the worksheet and whether they enjoy completing it and find it useful. We would also like to ask the child or young person with ADHD, their parents and teachers to fill in some questionnaire before and after the individual completed the worksheet to see if it had a positive influence on the understanding of ADHD, their self perception, development of self help strategies and their ability to focus on their learning in the classroom.
Our researchers have DBS clearance and are supervised by myself. I am a teaching fellow at the University of York and an HCPC Registered Educational Psychologist.
If you would like more details please contact me on sophie.brigstocke@york.ac.uk. I would be delighted to share more information or hear your views. Thank you for reading this.