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A Qualitative Study of Factors Perceived by Parents as Promoting Personal Recovery in Children and Young People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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Abstract

Objectives

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an inheritable neurodevelopmental condition, often coexisting with other psychiatric conditions and learning difficulties. This exploratory qualitative investigation sought to explore and advance knowledge on mental health recovery–oriented principles and practices for young people and their families. We examined factors identified by parents as promoting and enabling young people living with ADHD to lead an engaged and meaningful life despite experiencing the challenges of their condition.

Methods

The study was guided by grounded theory with purposeful sampling deployed to recruit 11 parents (8 mothers and 3 fathers) of children with ADHD. Two focus groups adopting a semi-structured interview format were convened to collect data. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed and focused on the identification and organization of common themes and patterns observed across the dataset.

Results

Nine primary themes were identified as captured by the acronym THRIVESSS (Time, Having a plan, Routine and structure, Identity, Valued social supports, Educating and collaborating, Self-awareness, Self-acceptance, and Symptom control) and explicated by 22 subthemes. Results showed that personal recovery for young people with ADHD is a specific and definable construct which offers a conceptual and applied alternative to the deficit-focused view of ADHD.

Conclusions

Our findings provide support for the pressing need to develop a novel lexicon to represent a mental health personal recovery pathway specific for young people and their families predicated upon a strength-based foundation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the inputs given by the families who participated in the study. The authors would also like to acknowledge the contribution of ADHD WA, the local support group. ADHD WA assisted in recruiting participants, and providing premises for focus groups and individual interviews. Finally, generous thanks go to educationalist Dr. Natalie Edwards for reading various iterations of the manuscript.

Funding

The present study has been made possible through funding received from the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s (newly titled: Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation) New Investigator Project Grants Scheme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Complex Attention & Hyperactivity Disorders Service (CAHDS), Child & Adolescent Health Service, Perth Children’s Hospital, Locked Bag 2010, Perth, 6909, Australia

    Stephen Edwards

  2. Centre for the Advancement of Research on Emotion, School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

    Daniel Rudaizky

  3. Independent ADHD Coach, Perth, Australia

    Michele Toner

  4. Mental Health Service, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Australia

    Wai Chen

  5. Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, West Pilbara Mental Health Service, Karratha, Australia

    Wai Chen

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  1. Stephen Edwards
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  2. Daniel Rudaizky
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  4. Wai Chen
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Contributions

SE participated in the study design, participant recruitment, data collection, and data analysis and wrote the paper. DR participated in the study design, manuscript preparation, and final editing. MT assisted with participant recruitment, data analysis, and final manuscript editing. WC participated in the study design, data collection, member checking, and final manuscript editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Edwards.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics Statement

Prior to participant recruitment, the research protocol was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Western Australia.

Informed Consent

Prior to commencement of each focus group, participants were presented with written and verbal information about the study, and participants gave informed consent to participate.

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Edwards, S., Rudaizky, D., Toner, M. et al. A Qualitative Study of Factors Perceived by Parents as Promoting Personal Recovery in Children and Young People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Adv Neurodev Disord 5, 102–115 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-020-00187-2

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