Die belewing van universiteitstudente met ʼn Aandagtekort-Hiperaktiwiteitsversteuring (ATHV)
Abstract
Aandagtekort-Hiperaktiwiteitsversteuring (ATHV) is ʼn neuro-ontwikkelingsversteuring wat gekenmerk word deur gedragspatrone wat inkortings in sosiale, opvoedkundige en werkskontekste kan veroorsaak. Alhoewel daar navorsing bestaan oor studente met ATHV by tersiêre instansies en die uitdagings wat hulle die hoof moet bied, is navorsing oor dié studente se belewing van die versteuring beperk. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was dus om die belewing van universiteitstudente met ATHV te ondersoek ten einde hulle unieke behoeftes beter te kan verstaan en optimale ondersteuning aan hulle te bied. Onderliggend aan die primêre navorsingsdoel, is daar ook verskeie sekondêre navorsingsdoelwitte gestel. ʼn Literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek is onderneem om die primêre en sekondêre navorsingsdoelwitte te bereik.
In die literatuurstudie is historiese standpunte en teoretiese aannames oor ATHV belig en aandag is geskenk aan die diagnose van dié versteuring. Daar is ook gefokus op die funksionele inkortings en ko-morbiede versteurings wat met ATHV vereenselwig word, asook die behandeling van ATHV. Die bio-ekologiese model van Bronfenbrenner het as ʼn teoretiese raamwerk gedien waarvolgens die belewing van universiteitstudente met ATHV in hulle ontwikkelingskonteks van ontluikende volwassenheid en die omgewingskonteks van die universiteit, gekonseptualiseer is.
ʼn Kwalitatiewe benadering is in hierdie studie toegepas om die navorsingsvrae te beantwoord. ʼn Kollektiewe gevallestudie het as navorsingsontwerp gedien en semi-gestruktureerde persoonlike onderhoude is gevoer met ses universiteitstudente wat met ATHV gediagnoseer is. ʼn Fokusgroeponderhoud is ook aanvullend as ʼn metode van data-insameling gebruik. Die universiteitstudente met ATHV se mededelings is geanaliseer, en op grond van die bevindinge wat uit die data-analise na vore gekom het, is die volgende gevolgtrekkings gemaak:
Die deelnemers het in die algemeen nie oor ʼn volledige begrip van die etiologie, aard en omvang van ATHV beskik nie, wat aan ontoereikende selfkennis oor dié versteuring toegeskryf kan word.
Die diagnose is as ʼn ingrypende keerpunt in die deelnemers se lewens beleef, omdat dit in sommige gevalle aanleiding gegee het tot beter selfbegrip, ʼn verskuiwing na spesiale skole, en die gebruik van medikasie (met positiewe en negatiewe gevolge).
Die deelnemers het ATHV as deel van hulle identiteit aanvaar en het dit as ʼn gevoel van andersheid met gepaardgaande sterk- en swakpunte beleef.
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Sekere faktore in die universiteitskonteks het óf bygedra tot die manifestasies en die belewing van die simptome van ATHV óf die simptome verlig.
Hiperaktiwiteit, interne rusteloosheid en impulsiwiteit het in sekere gevalle die deelnemers se sosiale interaksie met andere positief beïnvloed weens die energiekheid en spontaneïteit wat met eersgenoemde simptome gepaardgaan. Andere was egter geïrriteerd deur die verhoogte mate van spraaksaamheid, wat soms aanleiding gegee het tot die vermyding van sosiale interaksie met die deelnemers. Deelnemers se voorafgaande negatiewe belewing van mense sonder ATHV is gevorm deur familielede, onderwysers en medeleerders, wat hulle beoordeel, gespot en verneder het weens die gebruik van ATHV-medikasie en/of die persepsie dat hulle “anders” is.
ʼn Gebrek aan kennis oor ATHV en die unieke uitdagings wat daarmee gepaardgaan, asook ʼn gebrek aan toepaslike hanteringstrategieë is onder universiteitspersoneel en studente opgemerk, wat gelei het tot die negatiewe stereotipering en onsensitiewe houdings jeens ATHV-studente.
ʼn Verskeidenheid hanteringstrategieë is deur die deelnemers gerapporteer wat hulle gebruik om hulle inkortings aan te pak.
In die lig van die bevindinge en gevolgtrekkings wat uit die ondersoek voortgespruit het, is aanbevelings gemaak vir die verskillende sisteme of kontekste wat ʼn invloed op die belewing van die ATHV-student uitgeoefen het.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which is characterised by behavioural patterns that can cause impairment in social, educational and work contexts. Although there is existing research regarding students with ADHD at tertiary institutions and the challenges they must overcome, research on these students’ experiences is limited. The primary aim of this study was therefore to investigate the experience of students with ADHD so that their unique needs can be better understood and they can be offered optimal support. Several secondary research objectives were also set, which underlie the primary research objective. A literature review and empirical investigation were undertaken to achieve the primary and secondary research objectives.
In the literature study, light was also shed on historical views and theoretical assumptions on ADHD, and attention was given to the diagnosing of this disorder. The functional impairments and co-morbid disorders associated with ADHD, as well as the treatment of this disorder were also focused on. The bio-ecological model of Bronfenbrenner was applied as a theoretical framework whereby the experience of university students with ADHD in their development context of emerging adulthood and environmental context of the university was conceptualised.
In the empirical investigation, a qualitative research approach was applied to answer the research questions. A collective case study served as research design and semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with six university students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. In addition, a focus group interview was also used as a data collection method. The shared experiences of university students with ADHD were analysed and the following conclusions were made based on the findings that emerged from the data analysis:
In general, the participants did not have complete understanding of the etiology, nature and extent of ADHD, which can be ascribed to inadequate self-knowledge about this disorder.
The diagnosis was experienced as a profound turning point in the participants’ lives, since in certain cases, it led to better self-understanding, a move to special needs schools, and the use of medication (with positive and negative consequences).
The participants accepted ADHD as part of their identities, and experienced it as a feeling of being different with accompanying strong and weak points.
Certain factors within the university context either contributed to or relieved the symptoms of ADHD.
In some cases, hyperactivity, internal restlessness, and impulsivity affected participants’
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social interaction with others due to the energy and spontaneity that are associated with the former symptoms. Others, however, were irritated by the increased level of talkativeness, which often led to their avoidance of social interaction with the participants. Participants’ previous negative experiences of people without ADHD were shaped by relatives, teachers and peers who judged, teased and humiliated them due to their use of medication for ADHD and the perception that they are “different”.
A lack of knowledge on ADHD and the unique challenges that accompany this disorder, as well as a lack of appropriate coping strategies were noticed among university staff and students, which led to the negative stereotyping and insensitive attitudes towards students with ADHD.
Participants also reported various coping strategies that they use to address their impairments.
Considering the findings and conclusions that arose from the investigation, recommendations were made for different systems or contexts that have had an impact on the experience of the student with ADHD.
Keywords: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); university students with ADHD; experiences of university students with ADHD
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