ADHD and Identity Formation: Adolescents' Experiences From the Healthcare System and Peer Relationships.

IF 2.7 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Journal of Attention Disorders Pub Date : 2025-05-01 Epub Date: 2025-02-18 DOI:10.1177/10870547251318484

Matilda A Frick, Anders Brandt, Sandra Hellund, Jan Grimell

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Abstract

Objective: ADHD is often a lifelong condition, and has grown increasingly prevalent over the past few decades. Adolescence is a period characterized by the quest to develop a coherent identity, yet relatively little research has examined the relationship between ADHD diagnosis and identity. The purpose of this study was to explore the importance of experiences of the healthcare system and of peer relationships in the identity formation of adolescents with ADHD.

Method: This was investigated through semi-structured interviews with 10 adolescents (n = 8 females and 2 males) aged 15 to 18 years. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted within a narrative framework.

Results: The results revealed seven main themes indicating that ADHD played a central role in the adolescents' self-narratives: (1) limited effect of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) contact on identity formation, (2) the ADHD concept as meaning-making, (3) heterogeneity of the role of medication on identity formation, (4) negotiation of identity in relation to others, (5) varying degrees of acceptance in different relationships, (6) perceiving oneself as a troublemaker, and (7) relationship difficulties.

Conclusions: Overall, the diagnosis constituted an important narrative and symptoms of ADHD rather than the label of ADHD tended to be stigmatizing. Furthermore, medication affected identity, and some felt pressured to medicate to adhere to social norms. A common pattern was that adolescents set aside their individual identity in favor of their relational identity.

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ADHD与身份形成：来自医疗系统和同伴关系的青少年经验。

目的：多动症通常是一种终身疾病，在过去的几十年里越来越普遍。青春期是一个以追求自我认同为特征的时期，但相对较少的研究调查了ADHD诊断和自我认同之间的关系。本研究的目的是探讨卫生保健系统的经验和同伴关系的重要性在认同形成的青少年多动症。方法：对10名15 ~ 18岁的青少年（女8名，男2名）进行半结构化访谈。在叙事框架内进行归纳性主题分析。结果：结果揭示了七个主题，表明ADHD在青少年的自我叙述中起着核心作用：(1)儿童与青少年精神病学（CAP）接触对身份形成的影响有限；(2)ADHD概念作为意义制造；(3)药物对身份形成作用的异质性；(4)与他人协商身份；(5)不同关系中的接受程度不同；(6)将自己视为麻烦制造者；(7)关系困难。结论：总体而言，诊断构成了一个重要的叙述，ADHD的症状而不是ADHD的标签往往是污名化的。此外，药物会影响身份认同，有些人为了遵守社会规范而感到有压力。一个常见的模式是，青少年把他们的个人身份放在一边，支持他们的关系身份。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Attention Disorders PSYCHIATRY-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

6.70%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Journal of Attention Disorders (JAD) focuses on basic and applied science concerning attention and related functions in children, adolescents, and adults. JAD publishes articles on diagnosis, comorbidity, neuropsychological functioning, psychopharmacology, and psychosocial issues. The journal also addresses practice, policy, and theory, as well as review articles, commentaries, in-depth analyses, empirical research articles, and case presentations or program evaluations.