ADHD is like a bat-it is neither a bird nor an animal : Saudi parents discourses about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Author

al-Harbi, Rabab Salih

Source

International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

Issue

Vol. 3, Issue 3 (31 Jul. 2020), pp.500-528, 29 p.

Publisher

International Foundation of the Future Horizons

Publication Date

2020-07-31

Country of Publication

Estonia

No. of Pages

29

Main Subjects

Sociology and Anthropology and Social Work

Topics

Abstract EN

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder among children.

While ADHD in Western countries has long been recognized and increasingly diagnosed in recent years, there is a growing recognition of this disorder as a significant cross-cultural phenomenon.

Saudi studies to date vary in their estimation of prevalence of ADHD, with overall prevalence estimated to be between 3.5% and 6.5%, while the worldwide prevalence of ADHD is 5.29%.

This study uncovers the lived experience of parents with a child who has had an ADHD diagnosis in Saudi Arabia, and examines how their experiences can be recognized in relation to the multiple and competing discourses of ADHD that frame their daily lives.

Which discourses do parents draw upon – and reinforce – as they describe their experiences of ADHD, and which discourses do they resist? This study carried out in-depth interviews with seven Saudi parents who have at least one child diagnosed with ADHD, or any of its subtypes, between the ages of two and 11.

Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA) is applied in analyzing parental ADHD discourses, uncovering how these parents made sense of ADHD pre-and post-diagnosis.

Four main discourses emerged in the process: normal behavior (pre-diagnosis), supernatural/religious, medical, and social environment (post-diagnosis).

This paper also emphasises that the causes of ADHD must be considered in the wider context of misconceptions and uncertainty among Saudi parents.

All the participants in this research were influenced by a combination of discourses in their attempts to make sense of their children’s symptoms.

American Psychological Association (APA)

al-Harbi, Rabab Salih. 2020. ADHD is like a bat-it is neither a bird nor an animal : Saudi parents discourses about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences،Vol. 3, no. 3, pp.500-528.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-962513

Modern Language Association (MLA)

al-Harbi, Rabab Salih. ADHD is like a bat-it is neither a bird nor an animal : Saudi parents discourses about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences Vol. 3, no. 3 (Jul. 2020), pp.500-528.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-962513

American Medical Association (AMA)

al-Harbi, Rabab Salih. ADHD is like a bat-it is neither a bird nor an animal : Saudi parents discourses about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences. 2020. Vol. 3, no. 3, pp.500-528.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-962513

Data Type

Journal Articles

Language

English

Notes

Includes bibliographical references : p. 523-528

Record ID

BIM-962513