Psychosocial well-being of North-West University students living with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychological disorder of the neurodevelopmental type and has long been recognised as a clinical phenomenon. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), ADHD is characterised by difficulty in paying attention, hyperactivity and acting in a way which is not appropriate for an individual's age, without regard for consequences (impulsiveness). However, several questions are not answered about ADHD, particularly among university students. One major gap about ADHD is concerning the personal lived experiences of students living with ADHD within the South African context. Thus, this study aims to address this gap by qualitatively exploring and describing the experiences of students living with symptoms of ADHD regarding their psychosocial well-being. This study was aimed at qualitatively exploring the psychosocial well-being of North-West University (NWU) students living with symptoms of ADHD. The North-West University is a South African university with three campuses in Potchefstroom and Mahikeng, which are located in the North West province, and the Vanderbijlpark campus, which is located in the Gauteng province. With the university's aligned status, the NWU is one of the biggest universities in South Africa. The NWU is a multiracial university with a diverse student population. A total of 12 participants were sampled using purposive sampling techniques and recruited through advertisements which were distributed by the primary researcher on the NWU student Facebook pages. The findings showed that most students did not know about ADHD and had developed different coping mechanisms to address and manage their symptoms, irrespective of whether these mechanisms were dysfunctional or constructive. The students showed appreciation of their strengths and the capacity to influence their environment and at the same time, they were aware of, and acknowledged, their lack of power in directly influencing their environment and relationships. Given the students’ past experiences and presenting symptoms, most students are likely to be diagnosed with ADHD; thus, it is important to continue studying and understanding this population with even larger samples including ADHD clinically diagnosed students to help enrich and increase the conclusions drawn about these students’ experiences.