ABSTRACT
Attention deficits rarely exist in isolation. The truth of this somewhat controversial statement is especially evident in adults whose long-standing attention deficits are embedded in a complex and interconnected array of neurocognitive and psychiatric vulnerabilities and complications. Among the most common of these are learning disorders, underachievement, depression, and substance abuse. Clinicians who evaluate adults with attention deficits face the considerable challenge of elucidating and teasing apart these diverse factors and the relationships among them in order to manage effectively these problems of day-to-day living. No longer is it sufficient for clinicians to address the relatively simple question, Does the person have attention deficits? without also asking, What else is going on? The purpose of this chapter is to examine some critical “what else” issues in the realm of learning and achievement.
