Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children (Neven, Anderson, and Godber, 2002), and one of the most controversial topics in children's mental health (Wolraich, 1999), where the controversy relates to the questionable validity of ADHD as a medical condition. This study evaluates parental attitudes that canvass a spectrum of beliefs in this respect. The predominant belief within the scientific and research community is that ADHD is a proven neurological condition. However, many researchers (e.g, H. Glasser, 2005; Spillane, 2009; D. B. Stein, 2001b) question its validity as a medical condition, largely on the basis that there is currently no objective diagnostic test to identify a pathology believed to cause ADHD-type behaviours (Diller, 2006; Furman, 2009) and that a genetic basis for ADHD has not been identified (Joseph, 2006). The concern is raised that presenting ADHD as a medical condition is potentially disempowering for parents, and may lead to misdirected treatment for children (Neven, et al. 2002). Parents with children displaying ADHD-type behaviours (i.e., hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattentiveness), typically must decide whether they believe that their child's behaviours are the result of a medical condition called ADHD, or are simply a cluster of behaviours that some adults find problematic. Once having decided, parents are then faced with the related decision of treatment: namely, whether the ADHD-type behaviours should be managed using medication, through a non-medicative approach such as behavioural interventions, or perhaps through a combination of both approaches. The use of medication to control behaviours adds to the controversy surrounding ADHD, especially for children. Another point of controversy in relation to the use of medication is the growing concern regarding safety and side-effects, as well as medication's limited long-term effectiveness in helping children (e.g., Breggin, 2008). Given these concerns, and using a mixed-methods approach, this research comprises three inter-related synergistic studies to explore parents' perceptions and experiences of ADHD, as well as the decision-making process they go through when deciding whether or not to accept the ADHD diagnosis for their child. Study 1 aims to develop and test the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of a range of psycho-social constructs that may influence parents' decision-making processes, and identifies parents' opinions of the nature, causes, and appropriate treatment of ADHD. Study 2 builds on the first study to explicate the relations between psychosocial constructs and parents' acceptance or rejection of a diagnosis of ADHD as a medical condition, and the perceived helpfulness of a medical diagnosis, to provide a rare empirical study elucidating the role of research-identified psycho-social drivers that inform parental decision-making. Study 3 is a qualitative analysis that complements and extends the findings of the first two studies by further elucidating parents' experiences and perceptions of ADHD-type behaviours by conducting interviews with parents. In addition, health professionals are also interviewed, to provide further insights into parents' experiences of ADHD. While much research has been undertaken regarding the nature of ADHD in relation to the child, comparatively little research has examined ADHD from the perspective of parents. Hence, this research potentially makes a valuable contribution to expanding the literature in this field. Results from this research show that psychosocial factors (e.g., parents' perceptions of the ADHD label being helpful, the degree of stress experienced from parenting a child who displays ADHD-type behaviours, and beliefs about whether ADHD-type behaviours have a biological or non-biological cause), can be used to predict parents' acceptance or rejection of the ADHD diagnosis for their child. An important finding of this research is that parents who accept the ADHD diagnosis for their child are more likely to report experiencing stress, and that they find the diagnosis helpful. A tentative interpretation of these findings is that parents may seek a medical diagnosis to explain or describe their child's behaviours, because it offers some form of relief. Based on these research findings, the argument is made that enabling parents to manage stress better, may lead their considering, and even accepting, alternative (i.e., psychosocial) explanations for their child's ADHD-type behaviours and exploring a wider range of options for managing ADHD-type behaviours.
| Date of Award | 2010 |
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| Original language | English |
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