Background
Methods
Sample
N | % | |
---|---|---|
Sex, male | 6 | 50 |
Age at interview | ||
12–13 yrs | 7 | 58 |
14–15 yrs | 5 | 42 |
Age at diagnosis | ||
7–8 yrs | 5 | 42 |
9–10 yrs | 4 | 33 |
11–12 yrs | 2 | 17 |
14 yrs | 1 | 8 |
ADHD, subtype | ||
C | 6 | 50 |
IA | 6 | 50 |
Comorbid | ||
LD | 8 | 67 |
GAD/dysthymia | 4 | 33 |
ODD | 2 | 19 |
ID | Age (years) at | Medication status | Comorbid | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Interview | Diag | On | On & off | D/C | ADHD subtype | LD | GAD/dysth | ODD | |
F6 | 12 | 8 | 5y | C | |||||
M1 | 12 | 11 | 6mo | IA | x | x | |||
F5 | 12 | 12 | < 1mo | IA | |||||
M2 | 13 | 7 | 6y | C | x | ||||
M3 | 13 | 8 | 6y | C | x | ||||
M4 | 13 | 8 | 7y | IA | x | x | |||
F4 | 13 | 10 | 3y | IA | x | ||||
F1 | 14 | 8 | Brief trials | C | x | x | |||
M5 | 14 | 9 | On 6y, off 1y | C | x | ||||
M6 | 14 | 9 | On 4y, off 3y | C | x | ||||
F3 | 14 | 14 | < 1mo | IA | x | x | |||
F2 | 15 | 10 | 2y | IA | x |
Data collection
Data analysis
Results
Beliefs about ADHD
| ||
---|---|---|
Theme
|
Quote
|
Participant
|
1) Personality traits |
…if I didn’t have ADHD, I don’t think I’d be me. …’cause if I didn’t have ADHD I’d bet you I’d be totally different.
| M2 |
I mean, it doesn’t make it that different to have ADHD, …I don’t see myself any different than anybody else.
| F5 | |
It’s just a part of me kind of, it’s who I am.
| M1 | |
2) Physical condition |
“Yeah, I have ADHD, what can I do?” Like I can’t control the way I was born, I can’t control the way my brain works.
| F5 |
I would just say like it’s a disorder - that just…anyway it’s just screwing up my life. ‘Cause like I’m treated kind of differently.
| F6 | |
I think I still have [ADHD] but there’s only certain times it will come up. Sort of like the flu.
| M5 | |
Well there’s kids who have stuff worse than me like diabetes and cerebral palsy.
| F6 | |
ADHD, I have nothing, like there’s kids in Sick Kids’ Hospital that have cancer….
| F4 | |
3) Being normal |
I don’t really care about most of this stuff. I just lead a normal day, a normal life.
| M3 |
Well for my mum it is [a problem] and for everyone else it is but with me, I don’t really care.
| M4 | |
It’s not like something that’s like crossing my mind-ever.
| F2 | |
Attitudes about medication use
| ||
Theme
|
Quote
|
Participant
|
1) Benefits |
Without uh the medication, I wouldn’t be, I don’t even think like I’d be in school.
| M2 |
I definitely get my work done. It [the medication] sort of makes me feel like more of a normal student.
| F2 | |
It’s an obstacle when I’m not on the pill.
| M1 | |
When I took them? …I’d have…my confidence would boost up quite a bit?
| F4 | |
My parents, they’re a lot happier, and my brother’s coming to me and my grammas’s not yelling at me anymore.
| F5 | |
2) Effects on sense of self |
I just like notice when I don’t take the medication I’m happier, I’m more perky, I can get along with people.
| F6 |
I’m more of the quiet person who just sits there.
| F4 | |
I don’t really feel like myself when I take it. …. You can tell the difference like between weekend me and school me.
| F2 | |
I felt weird; I didn’t feel normal.
| M6 | |
I didn’t really like the idea ‘cause I thought it was going to alter my brain…
| M1 | |
I just didn’t want it to like affect me that much …- I thought it would change me.
| F1 | |
I think…in a way, [taking medication] makes me feel normal? But in a way it doesn’t make me feel normal ‘cause it makes me feel a lot different from my friends.
| F2 | |
3) Adverse effects |
It gave me headaches ‘cause they were too strong.
| M5 |
Made me like depressed and really moody all after school.
| M4 | |
I’m sent to the office because I feel sick and I have to throw up. …I just couldn’t stomach any, eat anything.
| F6 | |
4) Desire to discontinue |
If I weren’t taking the meds, I’d go to school happy and I think I’d have a much better day.
| M4 |
I’m not crazy about the medication. I wish I could stop if I could.
| F6 | |
I guess I can just stop whenever … I learn to sort of work without, like maybe after high school I guess?
| F2 | |
But I don’t usually take it during weekends or during the summer ….
| F4 |
Beliefs about ADHD | ||
---|---|---|
Theme | Quote | Participant |
mother of | ||
Physical condition |
It’s really no different than somebody having something like cancer. They need to be treated.
| F1 |
… you have to wear glasses because you have poor eyesight, if you’re diabetic, you need insulin.
| F2 | |
It’s almost as if there’s a cloud in the head, in his head that prevents his knowledge from coming out….
| M1 | |
Attitudes about medication use
| ||
Theme
|
Quote
|
Participant
|
mother of
| ||
Last resort |
I always said that it’s a last resort, OK? And I mean other things I’ve tried, nothing’s y’know, nothing has helped.
| F1 |
I’ve been very judgmental about the whole medication thing before whenever …someone had mentioned their child had been on y’know Ritalin, I’d be like horrified.
| F4 | |
But yet we’re here trying it one more time, ‘cause he’s not doing well without it.
| M4 | |
Learning aid |
I explained to him that he is very bright and…., for him to uh reach his potential.
| M1 |
I presented the medication to him as being a learning tool, …it might make things easier for him.
| M6 | |
I guess when you see that your child has potential and they’re not fulfilling their potential …you sort of realize [medication] is necessary.
| F2 | |
Adverse effects |
…Like you’re giving this child medication, you’re losing…your child--the personality, the qualities. …“Oh what am I doing?”
| F5 |
I guess part of me worries about any possible long-term damage that it can cause?
| M1 | |
I don’t know how it’s [medication]going to affect him in the future? I don’t know how it will affect his kids.
| M2 |