Positive Thinking Strategies for ADHD: Flip the Script on Negativity Bias
As school-based therapists and teachers, we’ve all been there—fixating on the one thing that went wrong during the school day instead of celebrating the many things that went right. This common focus on the negative is rooted in a survival instinct called the negative thinking bias, designed to keep us alert to potential dangers.
For students with ADHD, who often experience emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity, this bias can be particularly draining. It uses up cognitive resources, diminishes self-esteem, and leaves little room to recognize their the strategies they use for success. Teaching students effective positive thinking strategies can help them combat this tendency and build a stronger sense of self-efficacy.
Understanding Negative Thinking Bias
Think about a 7-hour school day. If 6 hours and 50 minutes go smoothly but 10 minutes don’t, what do we focus on? Exactly. And our students do the same. They overlook their achievements, and so do we. This leads to missed opportunities to:
- Build self-esteem.
- Recognize and reinforce effective strategies.
- Strengthen self-efficacy.
Positive Thinking Strategies for ADHD: Recognizing Glimmers
One powerful way to help students manage negativity bias is by teaching them to notice glimmers. Glimmers are small, positive moments or accomplishments that shift focus from negativity to recognizing what went well.
When students practice identifying glimmers, they begin to counteract their natural negativity bias. This is particularly impactful for students with ADHD, who are prone to self-criticism and impulsivity.
Create a Positive Thinking Habit with Glimmers
Building a glimmer habit is simple and can transform the way students—and you—approach each day.
When students know they’ll be asked to share two glimmers, their brains start noticing these moments as they happen. This practice actively flips the script on negativity.
Here’s how:
- Daily Reflection: Use glimmers as an exit ticket or part of your closing routine. Have everyone write down or share two things they did well that day. Not just one—two.
- Guide Students: Help them identify their own glimmers, such as:
- “I remembered to write my name on my paper!”
- “I stayed in my seat during morning meeting!”
- Encourage Examples: Share your own glimmers to normalize the process. Before long, students will begin to notice glimmers in their peers and celebrate each other’s successes.
Why Positive Thinking Strategies Work
Teaching students with ADHD to recognize glimmers helps them redirect attention from what went wrong to what went right. Over time, this practice builds resilience, encourages self-reflection, and nurtures problem-solving skills. Students begin to see their strengths and strategies, empowering them to apply those tools again in the future
Try it this week? It might even help you manage those not-so-helpful comments from a certain family member at Thanksgiving dinner.🍁
Download this free Glimmers Tracker to reflect for a week and share the practice with your students.
Let’s help them (and ourselves) see the good that’s already there.
