School experiences of children with ADHD in New Zealand.

Abstract

In this research, I explored the school experiences of four New Zealand primary school children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the perceptions their respective parent(s) held of their child's experience of school. The study was conducted using an interpretative phenomenological qualitative research approach utilising in-depth interviews.

Three themes: experiences of exclusion, positive and negative narratives of school, and ineffective structures of support, emerged from the data collected from this research. The themes showed that most of the children and their respective parent(s) had similar school experiences. A main conclusion from the research is that the children experienced exclusion at school and that they did not receive adequate support to participate at school fully. The children in this research also gave insights into how they wanted to experience school. These children wanted friendships at school and to be included. They also wanted the opportunity to use their interests to make school more interesting and engaging. Parents criticised some of the key supports available to children with ADHD in New Zealand, notably the Individual Education Plan (IEP). The findings of this research suggest that we should listen to the voices of children with ADHD more, as they have valuable and surprising insight into their schooling experiences.