Abstract
Researchers have begun to inquire into the experiences of young people with ADHD, including how they define ADHD and how a diagnosis of ADHD affects them. ADHD is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder and diagnosis is frequently requested by school professionals. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of young people in Spain who are diagnosed with ADHD through student voice research. Using semi-structured interviews, we found that while the participants tended to reproduce the conventional psychiatric discourse on ADHD, they also produced their own explanation of ADHD and of the effects of being labelled with ADHD on their lives in school. Our results highlight both the school’s role in advocating for a diagnosis of ADHD and the lack of an adequate instructional response for students once they have been diagnosed.
Highlights
For over a decade, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been a topic of debate across disciplines (e.g., Pajo & Cohen, 2013; Visser & Jehan, 2009)
We grouped the categories into three main themes, including defining ADHD as a disability; diagnosing ADHD and relational effects and; coping with ADHD
ADHD may be seen as a set of de-valued behaviours that differs in different countries (Singh, 2011)
Summary
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been a topic of debate across disciplines (e.g., Pajo & Cohen, 2013; Visser & Jehan, 2009). This debate is framed by both 1) media accounts of the presence of mental illness in children and the necessity of expert medical intervention (Lloyd & Norris, 1999; Singh, 2002) and 2) criticism for the overdiagnosis of ADHD and the pathologization of childhood (Malacrida, 2004). Our principal concern, opportunities for investigating the relationship between individual and social context are lost
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