Objective: Behavioral economic theory suggests that alcohol risk is related to elevated alcohol reinforcing efficacy (demand) combined with diminished availability of reinforcing substance-free activities, but little research has examined these reward-related processes at the daily level in association with comorbid conditions that might influence behavioral patterns and reward. Young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report high levels of risky drinking, and this risk may be due in part to elevated demand for alcohol and diminished engagement in enjoyable and valued substance-free activities. Method: College student drinkers (N = 101; 48.5% female; 68.3% White; 18-22 years old) with (n = 51) and without (n = 50) ADHD completed 14 consecutive daily diaries (diary entry n = 1,414). We conducted a series of multilevel path models to examine (a) the associations among ADHD and average daily alcohol demand, substance-free enjoyment, and response contingent positive reinforcement (RCPR) for goal-directed behaviors; (b) the associations among concurrent daily alcohol demand, substance-free reinforcement, and RCPR for goal-directed behaviors and daily alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences; and (c) the moderating effect of ADHD on these within-day associations. Results: ADHD was significantly associated with more daily alcohol-related negative consequences and less daily substance-free enjoyment and RCPR. Regardless of ADHD status, there were significant associations among behavioral economic risk factors and alcohol use and negative consequences, though effects differed within and between persons. There were no moderating effects of ADHD on within-person associations. Conclusions: Results expose areas of impairment specific to drinkers with ADHD and advance theory on ADHD and hazardous drinking.

This review of research conducted between March 2020-April 2023 summarizes the impact of COVID-19 on the learning and school experiences of children and adolescents with special educational needs and dis/abilities (SENDs) including youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, learning differences, intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. This research highlights the far-reaching consequences of COVID-19, with the most detrimental effects experienced by students of color, those from under-resourced communities, and those with multiple marginalized identities, whose struggles with systemic inequities have been amplified by the pandemic. To date, most studies have been cross-sectional and utilized qualitative methods. Future research should examine long-term impacts and ways to promote growth in learning and social-emotional functioning among students with SENDs.

Understanding factors that foster resilience and buffer against the negative psychological impact of COVID-19 is critical to inform efforts to promote adjustment, reduce risk, and improve care, particularly for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. This prospective longitudinal study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' mental health and substance use, and by assessing specific positive coping strategies among adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using multi-group autoregressive cross-lagged path models, the present study explored the reciprocal influence of positive coping behaviors on multiple adjustment outcomes including mental health symptoms, substance use, stress, and worry. Participants included 238 adolescents (132 male participants; ages 15-17; 118 with ADHD). Parents provided ratings of adolescent routines, and adolescents provided ratings of coping behaviors and psychological adjustment in spring (May/June), summer (July/August), and fall (October/November) 2020. All models included the effects of adjustment at the prior timepoint as well as relevant covariates including adolescent race, ethnicity, sex, medication status, and family income. Adolescents with ADHD were at greater risk for experiencing increases in mental health symptoms and substance use throughout the pandemic, relative to adolescents without ADHD. The use of positive coping strategies and adolescent routines buffered against increases in substance use and mental health problems for adolescents with ADHD. These findings have important clinical and public policy relevance for parents, schools, and employers who may aim to prioritize keeping schedules as consistent as possible to promote healthy adjustment.