“Not like everyone else” : A qualitative study about how pupils with ADHD experience their school attendance

Background: In the schools today it is common that teachers talk about children with special needs and children with “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” – ADHD. You can often hear people discuss about children with ADHD from the teachers point of view, that pupils are hard to handle and that they do not know how to create a good relationship with them. But you seldom hear anyone talk about school from the children’s perspective, how they feel, think and experience their school attendance. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how a functional disability like ADHD can effect a childs schooling and also to show how pupils with ADHD themselves experience their school attendance and how they are being treated by teachers and other pupils. Method: In order to investigate this, five interviews was carried out with students in the the ages of 16-25. I was interested in their experiences from their years in compulsory school, first to ninth grade. The theoretical basis in this study has been Vygotskijs socio-cultural perspective and concepts such as self-esteem and individualization. Result: The result of the interviews shows that large classes and disturbing noises in the classroom affected the pupil’s concentration in a bad way. They felt that their teachers did not listen or understood their complex of problems, which resulted in frustration, disappointment and anger, which often led to conflicts. They also felt that the teachers very often criticized and punished them, which resulted in more frustration and decreased self-esteem. All respondents felt a kind of alienation because of the treatment from teachers and other children. Conclusions: One of the conclusions in this study is that the teachers did not have enough knowledge, understanding or competence to give the pupils the support they required, and therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of further education for teachers