ADHD glossary · Family perspectives
Problem solving: name the obstacle before choosing a route
The National Library of Medicine's scope note describes problem solving as a learning situation in which a choice among alternatives is made to reach a particular goal. [1]
General education and practical perspectives. Editorial standards.
For an ordinary household discussion, our first question is smaller: What are we trying to make possible, and what is currently in the way? This is Ready's proposed conversation framing, not a tested problem-solving program or an assessment of anyone's reasoning.
A display that will not fit
In this invented example, a family has offered to bring a display of handmade postcards to a community room. The assembled board is wider than the table space they have been assigned. The child who arranged the cards wants all the cards included. The parent wants to honor the agreed space. A sibling does not want their own display moved to make room.
The family first writes the obstacle: “Our board is wider than the space available.” That description is different from “The child made it wrong.” They also state the goal: show the postcards within the agreed space without taking over someone else's display.
They consider several possibilities: use a smaller board, show the cards in two rows on a different backing, or ask the organizer whether another space is available. The last option is a question, not permission to assume extra room.
Keep constraints visible
An optional note could contain four short headings:
- Goal: what are we trying to make possible?
- Obstacle: what specifically prevents the current arrangement?
- Options: what could we ask about or try?
- Boundaries: whose space, belongings, time, or agreement must be respected?
The family does not need a long list. They need enough detail to see whether an option addresses the stated obstacle. In this example, moving the sibling's work without asking would create a new disagreement rather than count as an accepted solution.
If no option fits, leave the problem open. A tidy worksheet is not a reason to announce that the issue has been resolved.
Distinguish finding an option from choosing it
This entry focuses on the problem, alternatives, and goal described by the source. Our decision-making entry focuses on choosing among alternatives. The planning entry addresses connecting an intended result with steps and dependencies.
In the display scene, asking the organizer about available space belongs before treating that space as part of a plan. Choosing the smaller board does not, by itself, arrange who will move the cards or whether the child wants help. Those are follow-on agreements, not facts supplied by the word “solution.”
Include the person whose work is changing
A child can explain which parts of a creation they want preserved. A parent can state an external constraint without attributing blame. A sibling can decline a proposal that uses their area. An educator or organizer can clarify what is actually available.
These perspectives are not obstacles to be solved away. They are part of the ordinary situation the people are discussing.
This page gives no cognitive test, therapeutic procedure, or guarantee of a better outcome. A useful next step is a clear sentence naming the obstacle, followed by one question whose answer would distinguish the available options.
Source
[1] National Library of Medicine. Problem Solving MeSH Descriptor Data 2026. Last updated 1999-01-01; accessed September 5, 2026. Scope Note supports [1]. Controlled-vocabulary terminology, not evidence for the fictional example or a personal assessment.
Related guides
Sources and what they support
These sources support the specific statements identified below. Our practical exercises are suggestions to consider, not evidence of a treatment effect.
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Problem Solving MeSH Descriptor Data 2026 — National Library of Medicine
Source type: government.
Updated . Accessed .
Source check, September 5, 2026: Scoped source check. Passage: Scope Note, retrieved line 27; Last Updated lines 32–33. Limits: The MeSH learning-situation scope is preserved. No claim that this controlled vocabulary is an exhaustive theory, diagnosis or validated household process. Controlled-vocabulary reference, not an empirical finding or evidence of example effectiveness.
Supports: The National Library of Medicine's scope note describes problem solving as a learning situation in which a choice among alternatives is made to reach a particular goal.
Correction check: Inspected the exact scope note, relevant contextual annotation and the record's displayed update date. No correction/retraction notice changing the adopted wording was found in checked material. A record-level check only; historical MeSH versions and every external bibliographic record were not audited.
Updates and corrections
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