ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms can lead to various challenges in educational and social settings.
Students with ADHD may struggle with academic demands, organization, and social interactions, which can impact their learning, relationships, and overall school experience. Without appropriate support and accommodations, these difficulties can have long-lasting effects on educational attainment, social development, and future opportunities.
Understanding the experiences of young people with ADHD in educational settings is crucial for identifying ways to better support their needs and promote positive outcomes.
Russell, A. E., Benham‐Clarke, S., Ford, T., Eke, H., Price, A., Mitchell, S., Newlove-Delgado, T., Moore, D., & Janssens, A. (2023). Educational experiences of young people with ADHD in the UK: Secondary analysis of qualitative data from the CATCh‐uS mixed‐methods study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(4), 941-959. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12613
Key Points
- The study aimed to better understand the educational experiences of young people with ADHD in the UK through a secondary qualitative analysis of interview data from the CATCh-uS study.
- Two main themes emerged from the analysis: 1) A problematic provision loop of negative early educational experiences, often in mainstream settings, and 2) More positive educational progression once young people moved out of the problematic loop into alternative provision or were able to study topics of interest.
- Recommendations are made for commissioners, local authorities and schools to consider in order to better support students with ADHD.
- Understanding the educational experiences and challenges faced by students with ADHD is important for developing interventions and environments to improve their academic and life outcomes.
Rationale
Young people with ADHD experience poorer educational and social outcomes compared to their peers without ADHD (Shaw et al., 2012). Despite interventions, those with ADHD often remain at a disadvantage compared to peers.
A child’s environment influences their development and outcomes, as conceptualized in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
For example, students with ADHD are more vulnerable to risk factors for low attendance like bullying (Elliott & Place, 2019), low attainment, and social isolation (Melvin et al., 2019). They may have difficulty meeting expectations despite understanding them (Wiener & Daniels, 2016).
Many report negative educational experiences and bullying from a young age through higher education (Kwon et al., 2018; Wiener & Daniels, 2016).
Teachers’ views of ADHD influence the support they provide (Russell et al., 2016). Lack of understanding about ADHD can be a barrier to appropriate support (Greenway & Edwards, 2021; Sibley & Yeguez, 2018).
Better understanding the recent educational experiences of young people with ADHD in the UK can inform changes to educational environments and systems to benefit these students.
This study addresses a gap by analyzing interviews directly from young people with ADHD, whose perspectives are often overlooked in favor of adult reflections on their experiences.
Method
This study conducted a secondary qualitative analysis using thematic analysis on a subset of interview data from the larger mixed-methods CATCh-uS study.
The CATCh-uS study is a mixed-methods research project that examined the experiences of young people with ADHD transitioning from child to adult mental health services in the United Kingdom (Janssens et al., 2020).
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 64 young people with ADHD and 28 parents.
The current analysis focused specifically on the portions of the interviews related to educational experiences and progression.
Patterns within and across codes were organized into themes and subthemes through an iterative process.
Results
The analysis generated two main themes:
- The problematic provision loop and;
- Progression out of the problematic provision loop
The problematic provision loop
The first theme, the problematic provision loop, encompassed three subthemes: noticing difference, mismatch between young person’s needs and mainstream provision, and impacts on the young person due to their ADHD within the school context.
Participants described how they and others noticed differences in their behavior and learning compared to peers from an early age. This led to a sense of being misunderstood or not fitting in.
The mismatch between their needs and the provisions available in mainstream settings created challenges, such as difficulty meeting academic demands and strained relationships with teachers and peers.
Consequently, participants experienced various negative impacts, including frequent disciplinary measures, social isolation, and feelings of frustration or low self-esteem.
Progression out of the problematic provision loop
The second theme, progression out of the problematic provision loop, captured the positive changes in participants’ educational experiences over time.
This theme included four subthemes: change of school, fit between new provision and young person with ADHD, the impact of time on improving educational experiences, and leveraging strengths and interests.
Many participants described a turning point when they transitioned to an alternative educational setting that better accommodated their needs.
This improved fit led to more positive experiences, such as feeling understood, receiving appropriate support, and building better relationships with teachers and peers.
As participants progressed through their education and matured, they also developed better coping strategies and self-awareness, which contributed to improved experiences.
Finally, participants highlighted the importance of having opportunities to explore and engage with their strengths and interests within their educational settings. When they could focus on subjects that captured their attention and utilized their abilities, they experienced greater motivation, engagement, and a sense of accomplishment.
Overall, these themes underscore the significance of understanding the unique needs of students with ADHD and providing appropriate support and accommodations within educational environments to foster positive experiences and outcomes.
Insight
This study provides valuable firsthand accounts from young people with ADHD about their educational experiences in the UK.
The findings highlight the challenges and negative cycles many face in mainstream settings, as well as the factors that can help them have more positive experiences, such as alternative educational placements and opportunities to pursue their interests.
This extends previous research by centering the voices of the young people themselves. The results suggest areas for further research and changes that could be made to educational practices and policies to better meet the needs of students with ADHD.
Strengths
Below are some of the methodological strengths of this study:
- Inclusion of perspectives directly from a substantial sample of young people with ADHD
- Use of data from the robust CATCh-uS mixed-methods study
- Addresses a gap in the research literature by focusing on young people’s own accounts of their educational experiences
- Generated actionable recommendations for commissioners, local authorities, and schools
Limitations
Below are some of the methodological limitations of this study:
- Qualitative secondary analysis of data collected for examining a different primary research question
- Participants were recruited through UK mental health services, so findings may not generalize to those not accessing services
- Retrospective accounts may be subject to recall bias
- Does not include perspectives of educators
Implications
The findings suggest that many young people with ADHD have negative educational experiences, especially in mainstream settings, characterized by a problematic cycle of difficulties. However, alternative educational placements and opportunities to study topics of interest can lead to more positive experiences.
This highlights the need for educators, commissioners, and policymakers to evaluate current practices and implement changes to better support students with ADHD.
This could include increasing teacher knowledge about ADHD, providing a wider range of learning environments, and offering targeted support to meet individual needs.
Addressing the educational challenges faced by young people with ADHD is crucial, as education influences many long-term life outcomes.
References
Primary reference
Russell, A. E., Benham‐Clarke, S., Ford, T., Eke, H., Price, A., Mitchell, S., Newlove-Delgado, T., Moore, D., & Janssens, A. (2023). Educational experiences of young people with ADHD in the UK: Secondary analysis of qualitative data from the CATCh‐uS mixed‐methods study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(4), 941-959. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12613
Other references
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Greenway, C. W., & Edwards, A. R. (2021). Teaching assistants’ facilitators and barriers to effective practice working with children with ADHD: A qualitative study. British Journal of Special Education, 48(3), 347–368. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12377
Janssens, A., Eke, H., Price, A., Newlove-Delgado, T., Blake, S., Ani, C., Asherson, P., Beresford, B., Emmens, T., Hollis, C., Logan, S., Paul, M., Sayal, K., Young, S., & Ford, T. (2020). The transition from children’s services to adult services for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The CATCh-uS mixed-methods study. Health Services and Delivery Research, 8(42), 1–154. https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr08420
Kwon, S. J., Kim, Y., & Kwak, Y. (2018). Difficulties faced by university students with self-reported symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A qualitative study. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 12(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-018-0218-3
Melvin, G. A., Heyne, D., Gray, K. M., Hastings, R. P., Totsika, V., Tonge, B. J., & Freeman, M. M. (2019). The kids and teens at school (KiTeS) framework: An inclusive bioecological systems approach to understanding school absenteeism and school attendance problems. Frontiers in Education, 4, 61. https://doi.org/10.3389/FEDUC.2019.00061
Russell, A. E., Moore, D. A., & Ford, T. (2016). Educational practitioners’ beliefs and conceptualisation about the cause of ADHD: A qualitative study. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 21(1), 101–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2016.1139297
Shaw, M., Hodgkins, P., Caci, H., Young, S., Kahle, J., Woods, A. G., & Arnold, L. E. (2012). A systematic review and analysis of long-term outcomes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Effects of treatment and non-treatment. BMC Medicine, 10(1), 99. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-10-99
Sibley, M. H., & Yeguez, C. E. (2018). Managing ADHD at the post-secondary transition: A qualitative study of parent and Young adult perspectives. School Mental Health, 10(4), 352–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12310-018-9273-4
Wiener, J., & Daniels, L. (2016). School experiences of adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(6), 567–581. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219415576973
Keep Learning
Here are some reflective questions related to this study that could prompt further discussion:
- How do you think the educational experiences described by participants compare to those of students without ADHD? What unique challenges might students with ADHD face?
- Based on the findings, what changes would you suggest to improve educational practices and policies for supporting students with ADHD? Consider changes at the classroom, school, and system level.
- How might the educational experiences of young people with ADHD influence their social, emotional, and mental health? What supports could help mitigate negative impacts?
- The study found that alternative educational placements and studying topics of interest led to more positive experiences for participants. How could mainstream schools incorporate more flexibility and individualization to better meet the needs of diverse learners, including those with ADHD?
- What further research do you think is needed to build on these findings and inform evidence-based practices for educating students with ADHD?
