Parents' perception of the use of stimulant medication in the treatment of their ADHD diagnosed child

The use of drug stimulation to treat children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) sparks much controversy. Parental perception of this practise is crucial since it is the parents that have the task of making this sensitive decision. In order to subjectively explicate parental feelings regarding this issue, a qualitative approach was considered appropriate in this study. The study sought to highlight the views of parents around the use of stimulant medication in the treatment of ADHD. In- depth interviews of the four participants were audio taped and then transcribed verbatim. The interviews were unstructured and an open- ended question guideline was utilised. The interviews underwent stringent thematic analysis. Amongst others, the major themes that emerged were those of guilt, frustration, resignation and the strained mother- child relations associated with infant behaviour and the diagnosis. Findings revealed mixed feelings around the use of medication with Ritalin being the most commonly prescribed. However, even though there are mixed feelings associated with medication use, the positive outcomes of this practise outweigh the negative aspects. Although the benefits are great, the future risk of long-term use of stimulant medication is unknown

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Zululand

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Rawatlal, Nishola

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Edwards, S.D.

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Attention-deficit-disordered children
• Methylphenidate.

Licence

• https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/a37889f0-cac9-43ea-a0f6-293663ba1b22/download