The use of fairytales with ADHD children

This research introduces theoretical findings about problems of students with ADHD, as well as, fairy tales as a medium. The empirical part focuses on the process and analysis of the use of fairy tales as method of intervention and assistance. Students with attention deficit disorders and/or hyperactivity (reffered to as ADHD or children with disorders) are children who have difficulties, both in school and the broader social environment. The thesis introduces causes of these phenomena, symptomatics, the child's strong and weak points and various kinds of assistance. In order to gain a deeper understanding of fairy tales, we also explain their beginnings, by focusing on storytellers and fairy tale collectors, highlighting the importance of H. C. Andersen and his works. The psychological point of view in the use of fairy tales is explained through history and the approaches of Bruno Bettelheim (2002), Verena Kast (1999) and Regine Lückel (1990), who study the influence of fairy tales on individuals. This paper highlights their potential to work with students with ADHD. The empirical part introduces a qualitative three-year case study of a student with attention deficit and hyperactivity (1st-3rd grade), where Andersen's fairy tale interventions played a key part. Overtime, the student had become more active and reached a degree of his recreation (Andersen's works mostly), contributing to the increase of his independence and creativity. At the same time, his attention deficits and hyperactivity had decreased, confirmed by the qualitative analysis of half-structured interviews, carried out after each intervention with a fairy tale, the boy and his mother with the intention of gaining individual reflection. The entire research confirms that the fairy tale assistance model is feasible. The latter ended up being appropriate and effective due to the overlapping with the boy's strong sides (language, fine art and literary art). The stated findings can serve as a starting point for a deeper scientific research of the model fairy tale assistance model with other children with similar deficits, as well as, with the relation of their strong side. Thus, the conclusion on the overlapping of the strong side and the fairy tale, and consequently the appropriateness and effectiveness of the described model of assistance, would need to be explored further