Self and hetero-perception and discrimination in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Heliyon. 2020 Aug 3;6(8):e04504. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04504. eCollection 2020 Aug.

Abstract

This study intends to show the external perception that Primary Education students have of their schoolmates with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the perception of the student who has being diagnosed with ADHD himself/herself in order to analyse the differences between both perceptions. For that purpose, a questionnaire was e elaborated ad hoc, and the main results shown point to the fact that the external perception of the Primary Education student is more positive than the perception of the diagnosed student. Moreveover, the perception of the schoolmates of students diagnosed with ADHD tends to worsen in superior courses. This discovery invites us to reflect on and understand the more frequent attitudes and behaviours that develop in interaction situations as well as investigate those conducts related to social prejudice associated to their clinical characteristics and prevalent syntoms (attention déficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity), which develop an increase of the negative perception towards the student with ADHD.

Keywords: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Attitudes; External perception; Inclusion; Primary education; Psychology; Self-perception.