Beyond the label: an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring school experiences of three children who have a diagnosis of ADHD

It is estimated that between 0.5% and 10% of school aged children in the UK have a diagnosis of ADHD (Barker & Mills, 2018). There has been a wealth of research in this area, which has arguably been mostly constrained within a deficit medicalised model of ADHD, but there seems to have been little research that has privileged the voice of this group.

Taking a social constructionist position within this research, I aimed to explore the school experiences of three children who had been given a diagnosis of ADHD. In using interpretative phenomenological analysis I also hoped to illuminate how these children made sense of themselves and their experiences at school.

Data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and the participants also had the option to draw upon visual methods to enhance their participation.

The group experiential themes constructed during my analysis suggested that the school experiences of these children were marked by the power of adults, feelings of inadequacy and a need for competency. These themes were linked to behaviour associated with ADHD that did not fit the requirements of school and have been interpreted as a form of school control.

These interpretations were examined in relation to the value of a diagnosis of ADHD. The implications of listening to the voice of the children who participated in this research would involve a move away from a deficit-based medical model of ADHD to an ecological model. The usefulness of the PTMF in particular was considered. The importance of ensuring that children can experience competency in school and develop a positive self-concept was also discussed. SDT and Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development were explored as helpful tools to support this. Possible implications for inclusion being guided by the diversity of children were considered, supporting a need for space and time within educational systems for listening to, and learning from, their voice.