PERSONALITY RESOURCES AND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR REGULATION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH ADHD: Received: 11 November 2025, Revised: 01 December 2025, Accepted: 02 December 2025, Date of Publication:  03 December 2025

Dilnoza Tursunova

doi:10.20319/lijhls.2025.11.3050

Authors

Dilnoza Tursunova PhD Candidate in Psychology, National University of Uzbekistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20319/lijhls.2025.11.3050

Keywords:

ADHD, Adolescents, Self-Regulation, Emotional Regulation, Resilience, Social Support, Coping Strategies, Uzbekistan

Abstract

This study examines how internal personality resources support adaptive behavior in adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a focus on cultural context in Uzbekistan. Drawing on Barkley’s executive‐function model of ADHD (deficits in behavioral inhibition, working memory, affect regulation), Brown’s executive-cluster model (emphasizing motivational and emotional regulation), and Siegel’s interpersonal neurobiology (integration of brain, body, and relational min, we frame ADHD not only as a deficit but as an adaptation challenge mitigated by strengths. We report findings from a pilot survey of 431 Uzbek adolescents (grades 7–8, ages 12–14) assessing ADHD symptoms, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, coping styles, perceived social support, and adaptive outcomes (academic engagement, behavioral difficulties). Key results indicate that stronger self-regulation and higher emotional intelligence were significantly associated with better academic responsibility and lower impulsivity/frustration, whereas constructive coping (problem-focused strategies) related to fewer behavioral problems. Perceived social support (family, peers, and teachers) mediated the relationship between ADHD symptom severity and adaptation. We also analyze how collectivist Uzbek culture (strong family ties, community support, but high stigma toward mental health) shapes these processes. Finally, we propose a culturally tailored school-based intervention: a 12-week program combining teacher/parent education, student social-emotional learning sessions, peer mentoring, and community involvement to bolster adolescents’ self-regulation, resilience, and social support. The findings suggest that leveraging both psychological resources and cultural strengths can improve adaptive functioning for adolescents with ADHD. This work addresses a research gap on ADHD in non-Western contexts and offers practical intervention directions.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.

Biederman, J., Spencer, T. J., Uchida, M., & Kenworthy, T. (2019). Lessons learned from clinical trials of ADHD medications: Bridging research and clinical practice. American Journal of Psychiatry, 176(7), 532–540. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.18080963

Brown, T. E. (2017). Attention deficit disorder: The unfocused mind in children and adults. Yale University Press.

Castellanos, F. X., & Proal, E. (2021). Large-scale brain systems in ADHD: Beyond the prefrontal–striatal model. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(3), 226–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.12.005

Chan, E. S. M., Becker, S. P., & Garner, A. A. (2021). Cultural variations in ADHD manifestations and support systems. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(5), 430–446.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022121992652

Cheung, K., & Mak, W. W. S. (2018). Cognitive-behavioral and cultural predictors of help-seeking among East Asian adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 30(1), 28–40.

https://doi.org/10.2989/17280583.2017.1421513

Compas, B. E., Jaser, S. S., Bettis, A. H., et al. (2019). Coping, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 145(9), 939–981.

https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000206

Cortese, S. (2020). Pharmacologic treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. New England Journal of Medicine, 383(11), 1050–1056. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1917069

Daley, D., & Birchwood, J. (2019). ADHD and academic performance: Why does ADHD impact educational attainment? Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 24(2), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12267

Diamond, A. (2020). Executive functions: Insights into ways to help more children thrive. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 45, 100857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100857

DuPaul, G. J., & Langberg, J. M. (2019). Educational interventions for students with ADHD: From diagnosis to accommodations. School Psychology Review, 48(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.17105/SPR-2017-0120.V48-1

Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., & Bunford, N. (2018). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 47(2), 157–179.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1390757

Fabiano, G. A., & Pelham, W. E. (2019). School-based interventions for students with ADHD: Current status and future directions. School Psychology Review, 48(2), 207–220. https://doi.org/10.17105/SPR-2017-0119.V48-2

Graziano, P. A., Garcia, A., & Landis, T. D. (2018). The role of emotion regulation in children's academic success. Journal of Attention Disorders, 22(12), 1159–1171. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715577517

Kofler, M. J., Sarver, D. E., & Aduen, P. A. (2018). Working memory deficits and functional neural networks in ADHD. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(3), 433–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-017-0314-1

Kyii, W. K. (2017). Empowering approaches by Chinese parents of special needs children. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 3(2), 1558–1570. https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2017.32.15581570

Masten, A. S., & Barnes, A. J. (2018). Resilience in children: Developmental perspectives. Children, 5(7), 98.

https://doi.org/10.3390/children5070098

Morris, A. S., Criss, M. M., Luthar, S. S., & Silk, J. S. (2021). Emotion regulation and promotion of resilience in adolescence. Development and Psychopathology, 33(2), 577–592. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420001624

Morosanova, V. I., Fomina, T. G., & Bondarenko, I. N. (2020). Self-regulation and learning difficulties in adolescence. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 13(2), 34–56. https://doi.org/10.11621/pir.2020.0203

National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Research Update.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov

Owens, J. S., & Evans, S. W. (2020). Emotion dysregulation in children with ADHD: Cross-cultural findings. School Mental Health, 12(4), 789–804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-020-09374-6

Rasmitadila, R., Widyasari, R., Prasetyo, T., et al. (2019). Parent perceptions on inclusive education: Case study in Indonesia. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 5(3), 62–79.

https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2019.53.6279

Rosen, P. J., Walerius, D. M., & Fogleman, N. D. (2021). Emotion regulation and comorbidity in ADHD. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26(2), 675–690. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104520943900

Salkovskis, P., & Warwick, H. (2020). Cognitive-behavioral approaches to adolescent self-regulation. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(10), 1125–1136. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13218

Siegel, D. J. (2020). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we become (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

Smith, Z. R., & Langberg, J. M. (2018). School-based interventions for adolescents with ADHD: A review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 21(3), 267–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-018-0258-1

Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S. (2017). The dual pathway model of ADHD. Psychological Medicine, 47(2), 268–271.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291716003173

Toplak, M. E., Jain, U., & Tannock, R. (2022). Cultural considerations in ADHD research and practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 955–969. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.828116

Tosto, M. G., & McClelland, M. M. (2020). Self-regulation across cultures: A comparative perspective. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 51(4), 262–278. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022119896914

Turgay, A., & Ansari, S. (2017). Comorbidity patterns among children with ADHD. Journal of Adolescence, 56, 30–40.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.01.004

Zelazo, P. D., & Lyons, K. E. (2022). Executive function in adolescence. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 4, 99–122.

https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-052120-021908

Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (2020). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support revisited. Journal of Personality Assessment, 102(1), 56–64.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2018.1543434