January 2010

In A.D.D. with E.A.S.E.-ine we are doing a series about Problem Solving with teens that have AD/HD.

Teens experience not only hormonal changes, they also have to deal with emotion regulation and executive functions skills challenges.  The challenges are not only from AD/HD, but also from the natural changes the teen brain is going through.

The topic in this issue is about emotions and their meanings.

Robert Plutchik developed his theory of emotion from research that he did. From this research he created a wheel of emotions.  The wheel represents eight primary emotions and their opposites.  Each emotion is directly related to an adaptive pattern of behavior necessary for survival.  The eight emotions are Joy, Trust, Fear, Surprise, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Anticipation.

Plutchik suggested that other emotions:

• are variations of the basic eight emotions
• can complexly combine
• can vary in intensity and persistence

Combining two basic emotions generates what Plutchik called an advanced emotion.  The table below shows the advanced emotion, the two basic emotions that were combined, and the emotion’s advanced opposite.

Plutchik's Advanced Emotions

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