emotional dysregulation: Latest News

Anger issues stemming from emotional dysregulation – while noticeably missing from diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) – are a fundamental part of the ADHD experience for a significant number of children and adults. Even when controlling for related comorbid conditions, individuals with ADHD experience disproportionate problems with anger, irritability, and managing other emotions.

Emotional dysregulation and impulsivity can hijack learning when students’ ADHD symptoms collide with academic pressure, peer conflict, transitions, or other stressors. Understanding the neuropsychological underpinnings of, and triggers for, these outbursts is the first step to curbing them – with efficacy and empathy.Not every meltdown is preventable, nor is every response perfect. But educators can minimize the impact of emotional dysregulation in the classroom by building a toolkit of proactive and reactive strategies designed to create a supportive environment for all students.[Free Webinar: “Classroom Behavior Strategies for Students with ADHD”][Download: Free Guide to Solving Behavior Problems Rooted in Executive Function Deficits ]Educators can help students understand and support their emotionally dysregulated classmates with the following tactics.Taylor just had a meltdown in class and, wow, it was a doozy.

June 17, 2024Emotional dysregulation (ED) and maladaptive personality traits may cause relatively high functional impairment among college students with ADHD and warrant consideration during clinical assessments, suggests a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.1The study analyzed survey data collected from 2020 to 2023 on symptom severity, ED, and emotional instability among 1,858 college students across eight universities in the United States. Among subjects with self-reported ADHD symptoms, three profiles with distinct emotional dysregulation dimensions, impairments, and personality traits emerged:The Primarily Inattentive Profile reported the highest level ofParticipants who fit this profile also reported the lowest levels of emotional stability and limited access to emotional regulation strategies.The Moderate ADHD Severity profile reported the lowest levels of ADHD impairment and internalizing problems compared to the other ADHD profiles.The High ADHD Severity profile reported the highest levels of risk-taking behaviors.



Rejection sensitive dysphoria is not a formal diagnosis, but rather one of the most common and disruptive manifestations of emotional dysregulation — a common but under-researched and oft-misunderstood symptom of ADHD, particularly in adults. Rejection sensitive dysphoria is a brain-based symptom that is likely an innate feature of ADHD.

I can still vividly recall my daughter’s meltdown during a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. As I sensed she was on the verge of losing it, it felt like someone scooped out every organ in my body. Still, I was fresh out of parent coaching training, and here — right in front of the otters’ exhibit smack in the middle of a giant aquarium — was an opportunity to show off the skills I learned.