Mikä on ADHD? : sosiokulttuurinen näkökulma

Dictating the boundaries of ab/normality: a critical discourse analysis of the diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and hyperkinetic disorder

In this article we report the findings of a critical discourse analysis of the diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and hyperkinetic disorder (HD) in two clinical manuals – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition and International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition. We examine the actions (behaviors) that are said to indicate the presence of ADHD/HD and analyze what the inclusion of these actions reveals about the relationship between ADHD/HD, cultural knowledge, and values. Our analysis reveals that both manuals use subjective, value-laden language to construct a mentally ill individual in opposition to an unseen, supposed…

ADHD in the context of Finnish basic education

Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are a growing group served under special education services in many western societies. This article describes the history and current state of the services, as well as the assessment procedure. Our conclusion is that the status of students with ADHD in Finnish basic education (Grades 1 to 9) is still unclear. Based on the comparison of the prevalence and the population served in special education we can assume that this group is probably underserved in the Finnish school system. We also present findings from two recent studies among families with ADHD children in Finland. Family viewpoint can contribute to our knowledge and under…

AD/HD -oppilas peruskoulupolulla

Honkasilta, Juho. Yksilöpatologiasta yhteisöpatologiaan – AD/HD -oppilas peruskoulupolulla. Kasvatustieteen pro gradu -työ. Jyväskylän yliopiston kasvatustieteen laitos, 2011. 162 sivua. Julkaisematon. Tutkimuksen tarkoitus oli tehdä ymmärrettäväksi AD/HD -lasten erityisen tuen tarpeet peruskoulutuksen kentällä sekä tutkia institutionaalisen opetussuunnitelmakielen ja kasvatuspuheen takana olevia peruskouluoloja erityislapsen kasvatusympäristönä. Tutkimusongelmaa lähestyttiin kodin ja koulun vuorovaikutuksellisesta kasvatuskontekstista käsin. Tarkoitus oli selvittää kodin näkökulmasta, kuinka AD/HD -lapsen ja -nuoren erityistuen tarpeet huomioidaan peruskoulussa, miten kodin ja koulun välin…

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The premise, promise and disillusion of the ADHD categorisation - family narrative about the child's broken school trajectory

This study presents co-narrated school experiences of a young Finnish girl diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and those of her parents. The discourse analysis of the family interview focused on the discrepant ways family members gave meanings to and mobilised the ADHD categorisation while narrating their broken school trajectory. The results showed that the ADHD diagnosis was laden with the promise of the whole family being recognised differently by the school. However, this cultural promise proved disillusioning as daughter's support needs and parents' expertise were not recognised nor did the diagnostic category emancipate from stigmatising identities and blame…

Self-pathologizing, self-condemning, self-liberating: Youths' accounts of their ADHD-related behavior

This study analyzes the discursive construction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self in relation to a socioculturally shared understanding of moral norms. Thirteen Finnish youth aged 11 to 16 diagnosed with ADHD were interviewed during this discourse analysis study. The youth accounted for their culturally undesirable behavior, performance and traits through three different types of accounts: (1) externalizing personal responsibility due to a compelling medical condition, (2) internalizing personal responsibility through moral self-condemnation, and (3) distancing oneself from the socially imposed stereotypes and stigmas related to ADHD. This study challenges dominant…

Power struggle, submission and partnership: Agency constructions of mothers of children with ADHD diagnosis in their narrated school involvement

The contemporary education paradigm highlights the interdependency of home and school expertise. This discourse analysis study examines the narrated agentive possibilities of 18 Finnish mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD to influence and be involved in their child's schooling. Mothers' strong involvement endeavor is premised on their expertise concerning ADHD, distrust of teachers' adequate knowledge of and attitude towards their child, and anxiety for their child's wellbeing. However, our analysis reveals a gap between the mothers' narrated potential agency to fight for her child's well-being and their actual capability to be involved as intended, due to unequal institutional power re…

“Diagnosing” the Need or in “Need” of a Diagnosis? Reconceptualizing Educational Need

This chapter is based on compulsory school experiences of students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their parents in the educational context of Finland. Located in the theoretical framework of Disability Studies, the chapter aims to contribute to theory of inclusive education by initiating a new dialogue on conceptual foundations of inclusive schooling. In this regard, the chapter first deconstructs the concept of educational need that stems from the field of traditional special education as contradictory to the original ideals of inclusive education. It then moves on to reconstruct the concept of educational need in accordance with the foundational values …

Mikä on ADHD? : diagnosoitujen lasten ja heidän äitiensä diagnoosille antamat merkitykset

Jokainen meistä muodostanee mielessään jonkinlaisia merkityksiä ja mielleyhtymiä kuullessaan kirjainyhdistelmän adhd ja rientänee jakamaan tekemiään arjen diagnooseja tuttavistaan (”sillä ja sillä varmaan on se adhd, koska…”) tai, leikkimielisesti kenties, itsestään (”mulla on varmaan se adhd, koska…”). Diagnostisiin ja lääketieteellisiin selitysmalleihin kiinnittyvät tavat tehdä sosiaalisia, vuorovaikutuksessa tapahtuvia ilmiöitä ymmärrettäväksi on yleisesti hyväksytty kodin ja koulun arjen käytänteisiin. Väitöskirjatutkimuksessa, jonka tematiikkaan tämä lectio praecursoria johdattelee, tutkittiin 18 diagnosoidun lapsen äidin ja 13 diagnosoidun nuoren aktiivisuuden ja tarkkaavuuden häiriön…

Voices behind and beyond the label : the master narrative of ADHD (de)constructed by diagnosed children and their parents

Artikkeliväitöskirja. Sisältää yhteenveto-osan ja neljä artikkelia. Article dissertation. Contains an introduction part and four articles. 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 s…

‘The teacher almost made me cry’ Narrative analysis of teachers' reactive classroom management strategies as reported by students diagnosed with ADHD

This interview study addresses the gap in earlier research by focussing on the narratives of 13 ADHDdiagnosed Finnish students regarding teacher reactive classroom management strategies. The data are analysed through narrative analysis. Five different narrative types are identified, in which teacher behaviour is evaluated as (1) disproportionate, (2) traumatising, (3) neglectful, (4) unfair and (5) understanding. The dominant storyline e common to the first four types e constructed the narrator's transgression as contingent upon and a justified reaction to teacher conduct. The vicious cycle of coercive classroom management strategies and the culture of blame between students and teachers ar…