Adolescents’ experiences of being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a phenomenological study conducted in Sweden

OBJECTIVES: To explore adolescents’ experiences of being diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). DESIGN: Qualitative interview study, using a phenomenological framework and analysis. SETTING: The children’s clinic of a specialised out-care hospital located in a multicultural area of a Swedish city. PARTICIPANTS: 13 adolescents, 7 boys and 6 girls between 14 and 19 years old, who had been diagnosed with ADHD. RESULTS: The participants’ experience of being diagnosed with ADHD was interpreted as a process of understanding oneself as being different, for better or worse, like many others. The participants sought acceptance and a sense of normality, while developing an understanding of both the positive and the negative sides of their ADHD traits. These two sides of a coin were inter-related parts of themselves and were shared by many others, which increased their acceptance. Three themes described phases of the process: struggling with vulnerability, responding to a label and manoeuvring social life. CONCLUSION: The results add to previous research, illuminating that the adolescents tried to make sense of both the uniqueness and the vulnerability of the ADHD diagnosis. The findings can be useful for healthcare professionals, in reflecting on the complexity of ADHD and on the adolescents’ expectations.