- ADHD treatmentso Ritalin (methylphenidate), a stimulant (which seems counterintuitive) ADHD means they are under-aroused, and arousing them more allows them to calm down Slightly better positive behaviors compared to placebo *BUT huge difference in negative behaviors compared to placebo Can have side effects (sleep issues, lowered appetite, twitches, stunted growth) or ware off  Not beneficial in the long run  need to find a long term solution Risk of selling the medicationo Behavioral treatments can also be effective Making people recognize their symptoms and helping them with self-regulation Help with social skills- Autism treatmento Applied behavioral analysis (ABA)- intensive behavioral teaching Expensive Huge time commitment Strains the family dynamic (other kids may feel neglected) Raise of IQ by 20 points on average Without treatment, long-term prognosis is bad- Stress, health and positive psychologyo A lot of psychology focuses on the negative, but it is important to strengthen the positive as wello Questions such as: what buffers stress for some? What creates resiliency? What helps usbe happy?o Not about what happens that makes us happy, rather how happy people interpret their liveso Stress interpretation Primary appraisal: an event happens and we decide whether it is stressful or not Secondary appraisal: “can I handle it?” Negative appraisal: a threat Positive threat: a challenge (a stressor you can overcome) The body has different responses to negative and positive appraisalso Mind management Reframing: changing the way you think about your situation to make it positive Stress inoculation training (SIT): helping people cope with situations by developing a positive mindset- Skills carry over into many areas (learning to cope with stress  helps them deal with a large range of situations)o Physical stress responses Can be bad if stressed over a long period of time HPA (fight-or-flight): hypothalamus pituitary adrenal system- Autonomic nervous system has sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous systems- Hypothalamus regulates bodily function  activates response to stress- Activates pituitary gland releases ACTH to adrenal gland- Adrenal gland releases cortisol and catecholamines- Shows that there is a physiological response to stress General adaptation syndrome (GAS): response to any stressor- Alarm phase (mobilize resources)- Resistance phase (cope with stress)- Exhaustion phase (reserves depleted)o Stress and cardiovascular health Heart and circulatory system sensitive to stress High hostility levels are bad for your heart (increased risk of heart disease)- Type A behavior (competitive, high-achieving) more prone to hostility which is associated with heart problemso Body management Manage body symptoms of stress Changing your thoughts Relaxation therapy & relaxation response (noticing tense muscles and relaxing them)  control heart rate, breathing, reduced blood pressure Biofeedback: measure pulse (for example), see it and learn to control/train themselves to relax Aerobic exercise is important (stress relief and might increase serotonin, increases endorphins, good for your body)o Situation management Social support (having supportive friends or family)- Help through stress- Women are more likely to seek out supporto “tend and befriend” tendencyo Oxytocin hormone may be related to women seeking out support and nurturing Humoro Optimism Some people tend to be more optimistic but you can train people to try to be more optimistic (improves immune system) Hardiness- Manage stress easier- Committed to dealing with their situation- Accepting challenges  health promoting filterso Positive psychotherapy Focus on increasing positive emotions Different than focusing on the negative Can participate in positive psychology exercises online E.g. writing down what you would want your obituary to say; look at what’s missing (what you want to add to your life) E.g. actively showing positive emotions/enthusiasm toward others E.g. Savoring- enjoying moments (e.g. showering, eating) E.g. Write down good things in your life E.g. telling people you are grateful- “gratitude visit” Gratitude:- Appreciation- A sense of good will- Wanting to act in good will- GQ-6 measure of gratitudeo T/F questionnaire to measure gratitudeo High scores associated with positive emotions, satisfaction, vitality, optimism, low depression & stress- There is a benefit in increasing gratitudeo People feel better- more exercise, optimistic- Research: “counting blessings vs. burdens”o Kept journals of hassles, gratitude, or neutral events (randomly assigned to one)o Gratitude more optimistic, felt better physicallyo Intensified daily recording led to greater global positive