Phillips- Perspectives of ADHD

Perspectives of ADHD

 

Olympian Swimmer Michael Phelps 

Individual Perspective

Michael Phelps, who is an Olympic swimmer is one of many individuals who was diagnosed with ADHD during his childhood. Being a child with ADHD was difficult for Michael, especially throughout his school years which he has spoken about. Symptoms such as not being able to sit still for a period of time or bouncing off the walls were presented by Michael which could be placed under hyperactivity criteria within the diagnosis of ADHD. Having these symptoms present was sure to make it more difficult with paying attention to schoolwork which is a challenge Michael had to work through with his disorder. In result of having the challenge with being what others would view as "overactive", he unfortunately had to face the constant judgment from others in school, even teachers would have a sense of judgment based on how they treated him. While it may be a new challenge for a teacher teaching a child with ADHD, there were teachers that would treat Michael differently from other students in his classroom based on his presenting symptoms. Michael made mention of a teacher stating that, "he would never amount to anything and he would never be successful." Despite being told he would not be successful from his own teacher and being treated from  others due to having ADHD, Michael began to realize that it is okay to talk to someone and seek help. Having that additional support helped Michael live life to the fullest and was able to use swimming as an activity towards dealing with his ADHD. This in turn led him to becoming a world renown Olympic winning swimmer who happens to have ADHD. 

Video Link: ADHD and What I Would Tell #MyYoungerSelf | Michael Phelps

Self-Concept and Perceptions

Individuals with ADHD typically have a negative self-concept due to having negative experiences with certain tasks or when interacting with others that have their own perceptions of that individual. Being that ADHD is usually diagnosed during childhood, there is a higher chance of negative experiences having an impact on one's self-perception. Experiences with other individuals within a class setting such as teachers treating students differently like Michael described with his school experience. With people such as Michael having the unequal treatment based on their disorder such as ADHD can then lead someone having low self-esteem over time. There is also the general self-esteem that can be impacted with the experience of failure within the school setting such as not being able to focus on schoolwork due to the symptoms related to ADHD.  Academic and educational outcomes are significantly lower in children with ADHD. For example, ADHD is associated with poor grades, increased rates of detention and expulsion, and low rates of high school graduation (Kita & Inoue, 2017).  According to the multidimensional model of self-esteem , children who frequently experience failure are at risk of developing a lower sense of self-competence. Conversely, children who often experience success may develop an enhanced sense of self-efficacy (Kita & Inoue, 2017). Overall individuals with ADHD may have more negative perceptions due to surrounding factors but there is also the chance of positive self-concepts developing when having positive experiences. In the case with Michael Phelps, he was able to seek help and use swimming as a positive experience to cope with his ADHD. 

Physical Psychological, and Social Development

The physical, psychological, and social development of an individual with ADHD surrounds the delay in how well a person is able to control or regulate his or her own behavior, attention, or emotion. A person with ADHD will also become better at self-regulating over time, but will typically remain delayed compared to other people of the same age (Fields & Wolfe, 2018). Due to these delays in self-regulation there will be challenges in different areas as age increases. Physical development of someone with ADHD can be impacted as far as the severity of symptoms surrounding hyperactivity or impulsivity.  Hyperactive symptoms (e.g., running or climbing excessively; talking excessively; appearing “on the go” or “driven by a motor”) tend to decline the most, usually in later childhood and early adolescence, at which time obvious hyperactivity is often replaced by restlessness. Impulsive behaviors may also improve as children age, though consequences for the impulsivity that remains may become more serious (Fields & Wolfe, 2018). Psychological development can have an impact surrounding meeting  academic expectations such as managing more complex and longer-term tasks or staying focused on schoolwork for a period of time. When it comes to social development, ADHD may make it more difficult listening to others, picking up on social cues or taking turns. This stems from having the delay in self-regulation in their behaviors and emotions which can challenging when entering a social setting. 

Here is an additional video below to give a perspective into the daily life of someone with ADHD

Video #2 Link: A Day in the Life with ADHD

References

Fields, B., & Wolfe, L. (2018, May 31). ADHD changes in children as they grow and develop. Nationwide Children's Hospital. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2018/05/adhd-as-a-child-develops

Kita, Y., & Inoue, Y. (2017, July 31). The direct/indirect association of ADHD/ODD symptoms with self-esteem, self-perception, and depression in early adolescents. Frontiers. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00137/full