PSI Tutor: Academic Mentor

Like a bag tied in the middle, the Chautauqua approach to learning about statistics in psychology focuses attention at the centre of things. However, that does not mean that we ignore what is to each side of the centre, for this is what defines the centre’s shape, height and width. What makes the centre value unique is a synthesis of all the data points (Gestalt?). Distances between individual scores create patterns of meaningful information, and a measure of central tendency gives an overall summary of what is happening across a set of raw data.

Who cares?

A contentious social debate at the moment here in Australia is whether medication should be the primary intervention for children diagnosed as ADHD. Myself as a foster mum of a special needs child can relate to aspects on both sides of the fence; my boy does have a low tolerance for stress (this means happiness and/or distress) and the meds do help him to cope during these times; although we have found changes to diet (nutrition), lifestyle (boundaries) and self-esteem (relationships) have allowed us to cut down on the amount of medication.

Our foster support team, counsellors, education providers and GP listen to my requests to cut medication and to have a whole food supplement prescribed (when he can’t eat cause of the meds~ ironic), because I point to research where the significant mean value indicates a viable alternative.

We emphasise protein at most meals in our home; we do not ban sugar~ just its ingestion before protein (and of course its excess). My boy now actively reads labels when shopping, and selects his meals based on protein and carbohydrate inclusions. He needs as much fat as he can get, tho we do prefer the unsaturated kind.

We are tracking his dietary habits, medication intake and behaviour-cognitive-affect responses (using SPSS v.15 as a database) I will use the mean and other measures of central tendency, to coordinate with my boy and others in our lives, how to best meet his needs so he can function independently and safely within wider society.

Hopefully, the results of our observations will inform ourselves and other foster parents and their children diagnosed as ADHD. The kids tend to identify themselves as “having a problem” and feel “forced” to take medication that defines them as being “different”. Ultimately, I view ADHD as a state of being which is temporary if the person has some supports to lean on; people, medication, nutrition, resiliency etc.

Further reading on the ADHD debate;

Anti-Psychotic Drugs Found as Lethal as Antidepressant and ADHD Drugs on Kids

ADHD: It’s a Family Affair