Cite
Nadeau, Kathleen G. “Career Choices and Workplace Challenges for Individuals With ADHD.” Journal of Clinical Psychology 61, no. 5 (May 2005): 549–63. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20119.
Jeremy
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FirstAuthor:: Nadeau, Kathleen G
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Title:: Career Choices and Workplace Challenges for Individuals With ADHD
Year:: 2005
Citekey:: nadeauCareerChoicesWorkplace2005
itemType:: journalArticle
Journal:: Journal of clinical psychology
Volume:: 61
Issue:: 5
Pages:: 549-563
DOI:: 10.1002/jclp.20119
LINK
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is increasingly recognized as a common disorder that can significantly impact workplace functioning, yet few clinicians or career consultants have training in how to help adults select careers or jobs within a chosen career that are a good match for their strengths, weaknesses, ADHD tendencies, and coexisting conditions. Straightforward career counseling is inadequate to meet the needs of adults who have ADHD, and significant follow-up, brain-based counseling or therapy is often necessary to help these adults implement the recommendations generated by an ADHD career assessment. This article guides the clinician through the multiple steps of clinical interview, assessment, and intervention when working with adults who have ADHD who face challenges in the workplace. (Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc) .
Notes
Jeremy’s review
This journal article reviews the detrimental nature of untreated ADHD in adults in relation to the workforce. There are often difficulties in finding a job that is meaningful, and then keeping said job. They key to being successful in a career with ADHD is typically early intervention of ADHD symptoms and also studying people with ADHD who have achieved high levels success by resiliance alone.
Annotations
Imported: 2023-10-23 1:07 pm
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One study of adults who had learning or attentional problems (Blalock & Johnson, 1987) reported that adults who have ADHD (and learning disabilities [LDs]) were rarely able to find a professional trained in both career and cognitive issues associated with ADHD and learning disabilities.
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- I wonder how true that still is, and what that is for clergy (my guess is 0)
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The majority of adults whose ADHD has been untreated into adulthood carry significant emotional baggage from repeated failures, underachievement, broken relationships, family conflict, and never-completed college degrees.
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- Repeated failure is a drain on confidence.
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Although some mental health professionals question the validity of an ADHD diagnosis for someone who has a high IQ and advanced education, in reality the incidence of ADHD among such individuals is significant. ADHD in these adults frequently results in significant disability—for example, a physician may be unable to pass medical boards despite repeated trials; an attorney may lose her position because of inadequate focus and efficiency; a doctoral candidate may be unable to complete his degree because of an inability to organize and complete the dissertation; or an accountant may repeatedly lose jobs because of problems with time management and organization and because of low motivation.
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- High functioning people ADHD can only go so far until they hit their cliff.
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Garber (2001) refers to the shared traits of these successful adults as “resilience factors,” which he divides into “internal” or personal factors and “external” or environmental factors. Internal Resilience Factors Control: Successful adults focus on how to gain and maintain control of their life. Desire: Motivation may be positive, or negative (such as need to prove someone wrong). Goal orientation: Motivation or desire is clearly focused toward a particular goal. Reframing: The disability is reframed to recognize strengths. Persistence: There is a willingness to put forth extraordinary effort to achieve the desired goal. Learned creativity: Strategies and techniques are used to enhance performance. Career Choices and Workplace Challenges 551 External Resilience Factors Goodness of fit: Successful adults find the right niche—a job or career that calls on their strengths. Supportive social environment: Encouraging, helpful people who appreciate their strengths and are tolerant. Mentors: Someone is in a supportive role of teaching and guidance. Support services: These are people hired to perform needed services.
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Garber, a pioneer in the study of high achievement among adults who have learning disabilities (Garber, Ginsberg, & Reiff, 1992; Reiff, Garber, & Ginsberg, 1997), writes, “Today, there is a developing literature on those with LD and/or ADHD who have exhibited almost incredible resilience throughout their lives to overcome major hurdles to adjustment, finding avenues to notable achievement” (Garber, 2001, p. 1).
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Some adults who have ADHD, without benefit of intervention, have managed to reach high levels of achievement. If our goal, as clinicians, is to help other adults become successful, we should begin by understanding the factors that high achieving adults who have ADHD have in common
Pg.3
- Study and understand people who have done will without intervention so that the techniques they’ve used can be learned, understood, and passed onto other people so that they too can acheive success.
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Mentoring. Garber found that most successful adults who had ADHD had experience early in their career with a mentor.
Pg.8
- Having a mentor who actually mentors is important in all areas of life. Even more so if that mentor can speak a common language as to mitigate many confusions.
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Many adults who have ADHD have experienced a lifetime of criticism, exasperation, and irritation from people who cannot tolerate their ADHD tendencies.
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Successful adults who have ADHD and LD find others—personal assistants, business partners, office managers, accountants, computer specialists, professional organizers, or spouses—whose skills lie in their areas of weakness to perform critical tasks for which the adult who has ADHD is ill suited.
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A basic step in psychotherapy is to help the client reach a level of self-acceptance—to reach a point at which she can celebrate her strengths without apologizing for his weaknesses
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- It is so important to accept what is and not desire for what is not. This is a key step in unmasking and living an authentic self.
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ADHD often entails a complex cluster of concerns that the client perceives as an overwhelming swirl of worries that leads him simply to shut down. Organizing and prioritizing are executive functions of the brain that are often challenging for adults who have ADHD. Using a brain-based approach to therapy means providing a structure to view these multiple concerns as more manageable and therefore view the situation more hopefully.
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- An ADHD brain does not work logically at times. It’s more than overcoming a simple flaw. The brain is acting irrationally.
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Adults who have ADHD are poor at judging how much they can take on at one time. Impatience, poor time awareness, and unrealistic expectations combine to create goals that are doomed to failure.
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