Voices behind and beyond the label : the master narrative of ADHD (de)constructed by diagnosed children and their parents
The dominant understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is that
of diagnosed children “suffering” from neurodevelopmental condition owing to which
they are prone to develop adverse life trajectories. This master narrative of ADHD and
psychomedical and normative discourses it adheres to and employs have been integrated into the daily activities of homes and schools. This compilation dissertation
study employs a social constructionist discourse framework and is located in the intersection of the disciplines of disability studies and special education. The aim of the
dissertation is to further our understanding of “life with ADHD” from the viewpoint of
the families in Finland who supposedly live the master narrative. By conducting interviews for 13 young Finnish teens (aged 11–16 years) diagnosed with ADHD and 18
Finnish mothers of diagnosed children, it analyzes the meanings given to and built
around ADHD in the context of the compulsory schooling. The data are analyzed using
both discourse and narrative analysis methods.
The study finds that the mothers and youth positioned themselves differently in
relation to ADHD. For mothers, the voice behind the label, their strong endeavor to explain their child’s traits, behavior, and performance by adhering to and advocating
psychomedical discourse functioned as a counter-means to school practices. For them,
the ADHD label entailed a cultural promise of recognition of their child and themselves:
it was expected to promote the match between the child and school and translate as a
mediator between parents and teachers. Children, the voice beyond the label, on the other
hand, constructed the label as a priori stigmatizing and thus, adherence to psychomedical discourse as potentially impeding the process of identity building. Instead,
they constructed themselves in relation to ADHD, and vice versa, in the vortex of discourses internalized by them providing deeply embedded varying and contradictive
cultural meanings.
The results problematize the master narrative as unproductive. Further, the un-
critical reproduction of psychomedical discourse in educational practices is questioned,
as it is oversimplified and insufficient to understand the experiences of “life with
ADHD”. As regards school practices, this study provides theoretical implications for
inclusive education. It suggests a change in discourses employed in everyday school
practices and the conceptualization of educational special need in order to truly live up
to the values of inclusive education
...
Artikkeliväitöskirja. Sisältää yhteenveto-osan ja neljä artikkelia. Article dissertation. Contains an introduction part and four articles.
Alternative title
Master narrative of ADHD (de)constructed by diagnosed children and their parentsPublisher
University of JyväskyläISBN
978-951-39-6636-2ISSN Search the Publication Forum
0075-4625Contains publications
- Article I: Honkasilta, J., Sandberg, E., Närhi, V., & Jahnukainen, M. (2014). ADHD in the context of Finnish basic education. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 19 (3), 311-323. Full text
- Article II: Honkasilta, J., Vehkakoski, T., & Vehmas, S. (2015). Power struggle, submission and partnership: Agency constructions of mothers of children with ADHD diagnosis in their narrated school involvement. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 59 (6), 674-690. Full text
- Article III: Honkasilta, J., Vehmas, S., & Vehkakoski, T. (2016). Self-pathologizing, self-condemning, self-liberating: Youths' accounts of their ADHD-related behavior. Social Science and Medicine, 150 (February), 248-255 Full text - "embargo" 2018-12-22
- Article IV: Honkasilta, J., Vehkakoski, T., & Vehmas, S. (2016). ‘The teacher almost made me cry’ : Narrative analysis of teachers' reactive classroom management strategies as reported by students diagnosed with ADHD. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55 (April), 100-109. Full text - "embargo" till 2019-01-14
Keywords
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder mothers parents children young people teens discourse analysis narrative analysis interview social constructionism inclusive education Haastattelututkimus Diskurssianalyysi ADHD diagnoosi koulunkäynti opettaja-oppilassuhde vuorovaikutus nuoret vanhemmat äidit kasvatuskumppanuus sosiokulttuuriset tekijät sosiaalinen konstruktivismi narratiivinen psykologia diskurssintutkimus
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