Gripped by the chaos: a psychoanalytically-informed qualitative exploration of adolescent ADHD

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescence has largely been overlooked in the literature in terms of the experience of those so diagnosed. In clinical practice there is an understanding that this population experiences profoundly painful interpersonal difficulties, but at an empirical level the experience of the adolescent is poorly understood. In this psychoanalytically-informed qualitative study, five adolescents, aged 16–17, with a diagnosis of ADHD took part in three interviews. The material was analysed in keeping with the psychoanalytically-informed method. Three inter-related themes emerged: ‘not being able to “let out” difficult emotion,’ which reflected participants’ struggle with overwhelming and unmanageable affect; ‘(un)soothing experience with self and other,’ which described the relationship between care-seeking and care-giving behaviours in the lives of these youths; and ‘being in and out of control,’ which relates to the complex relationship that participants have with self-control as well as the control of others. In the lives of these adolescents, the search for containment in interpersonal relationships is explored, as well as a discussion of a substitute for soothing in the absence of a ‘good enough’ object in early interactions.

Keywords:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• interpersonal experience
• emotional experience
• psychoanalytic research interview
• containment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.