Effect of Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Secondary School
Institution
Project Lead The Way - Kentucky
KY House District #
60
KY Senate District #
11
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Rachel Page
Abstract
There are a multitude of resources for young children struggling in the early years of schooling with mental disorder, ADHD specifically. However, if left undiagnosed, the problems carry over into adulthood where these issues can then become amplified and affect their home and work life without having established a coping mechanism. In this study, the effect of a diagnosis of ADHD was researched in adults. It was hypothesized that the population felt as though their diagnosis had positively impacted their lives and had improved the way that think about themselves. Participants had not been diagnosed prior to adulthood and surveys were collected in regards to how they felt the diagnosis affected their lives. Over 100 survey responses were gathered in order to obtain a fair sample and opinion of the group. The survey consisted of multiple scaled questions that concerned their feelings both before and after both diagnosis and treatment. EX: “Before diagnosis, I felt ADHD was affecting my home life negatively”; the answers then ranged from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. That same question would then be posed in the after diagnosis section. With this data, support can be raised for adult mental disorders and try to decrease the stigma placed on adults who have them.
Effect of Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults
There are a multitude of resources for young children struggling in the early years of schooling with mental disorder, ADHD specifically. However, if left undiagnosed, the problems carry over into adulthood where these issues can then become amplified and affect their home and work life without having established a coping mechanism. In this study, the effect of a diagnosis of ADHD was researched in adults. It was hypothesized that the population felt as though their diagnosis had positively impacted their lives and had improved the way that think about themselves. Participants had not been diagnosed prior to adulthood and surveys were collected in regards to how they felt the diagnosis affected their lives. Over 100 survey responses were gathered in order to obtain a fair sample and opinion of the group. The survey consisted of multiple scaled questions that concerned their feelings both before and after both diagnosis and treatment. EX: “Before diagnosis, I felt ADHD was affecting my home life negatively”; the answers then ranged from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. That same question would then be posed in the after diagnosis section. With this data, support can be raised for adult mental disorders and try to decrease the stigma placed on adults who have them.