Anxiety and ADHD: Distinctions to Guide Intervention Planning
Date:
December 12 @ 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Price:
Topics:
- General Education
- |
- Special Education
Instructor(s):
Heather Flynn
Event Type:
Virtual
Professional Learning Hours:
5
Intended Audience:
K-12 school psychologists, counselors, social workers, special education teachers and administrators, LEA representatives, behavior specialists, SEL interventionists, and any other Evaluation and Planning Team (EPT) members responsible for designing and implementing specialized services and classroom accommodations for students with anxiety and/or ADHD.
Participants must attend all events:
- Event Date
- Event Date
This workshop will explore the nuanced similarities and differences between anxiety and ADHD diagnoses, and will review key features involved in the process of differential diagnosis. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the overlapping symptoms—such as inattention, restlessness, and emotional dysregulation—and how these often co-occur and may be misinterpreted. Through case examples and practical tools, the workshop will highlight how identifying the distinct and shared challenges associated with each diagnosis can inform both targeted interventions and individualized classroom accommodations. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to better support students’ learning, behavior, and emotional needs.
Participants will:
- Differentiate between the core symptoms of anxiety and ADHD, including overlapping features, to improve accuracy in identifying and understanding each diagnosis.
- Analyze the impact of executive functioning and coping challenges specific to anxiety and ADHD, and how these contribute to behavior and performance in academic and social settings.
- Use an accurate understanding of the diagnosis to identify targeted strategies and accommodations that support students with anxiety, ADHD, or both.
