Magazine portrayal of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD): A post-modern epidemic in a post-trust society

Abstract

One of the significantly increasing risks in modern society is that of childhood mental, developmental and behavioural disorders. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are cases in point. This paper uses a social constructionist and framing approach to investigate the portrayal of risks associated with ADD/ADHD in popular magazines directed towards mass audiences in English speaking North America from 1988–2008. Aqualitative content analysis examines how the magazine articles answer the following questions about ADD and ADHD portrayal: (1) what is it?; (2) what is said to cause it?; and (3) what can be done about it? The findings suggest that ADD and ADHD are portrayed in polarising and contradictory ways in this popular medium. Magazine stories demonstrate deep ambivalence about whether or not ADD/ADHD even exist. They question whether or not the associated behaviours constitute medical problems. Despite this, described research on the causes of ADD/ADHD is almost always authoritatively described as either genetic or biological. Treatment by medications is often portrayed as profoundly problematic. This contentious and confusing portrayal exacerbates uncertainty and underscores the perception of risk. It reflects the competing interests operating in the social environment of ADD/ADHD including an ongoing but inconsistent tendency to medicalise this as other childhood mental/developmental/behavioural disorders.

Keywords:

• risk representation
• media portrayal
• attention deficit disorder (ADD)
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• magazines

Acknowledgements

I would like to gratefully acknowledge the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for funding this project.