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A Mixed-Method Study of Self-Concept in Girls Diagnosed with ADHD
Isabela Robledo Patiño
Thesis Advisor: Monica Romero, PhD
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder commonly recognized in children and more stereotypically recognized in boys. Recent research acknowledges professional tendencies to misdiagnose and under-diagnose ADHD in girls. Many factors at home, school, and clinical settings tend to push a formal diagnosis into adolescence or even adulthood. Since we now know that girls experience ADHD differently than boys, an increasing body of studies have worked to address the lack of knowledge about girls’ experiences with ADHD. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the perspectives for of girls diagnosed with ADHD in childhood or early adulthood. Hence, this mixed-method study used semi-structured interviews and assessments to gather qualitative and quantitative data about girls’ self-concepts and how they may have been affected by their lived experiences with ADHD. The Piers-Harris 2 for self-concept and 3 Conners CAARS assessment versions for ADHD were used depending on the age of the participant. Results showed a wide cross-sample range of ADHD symptom severity. Three of the participants showed self-concept scores below average. Interviews revealed that the diagnosis provided all participants with clarity over past experiences, that most accepted the diagnosis easily, and most realized that they were not inherently bad students or behaving the way(s) they did out of personal faults. These findings highlight the urgency to accurately identify ADHD as early as possible and revealed that receiving the diagnosis is deeply layered or nuanced depending on personal experiences leading to that moment. Future clinical and academic interventions could be modified to account for these unique factors.