The psychological reaction of patients to their first diagnosis (ADHD)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The psychological reaction of patients to their first diagnosis of Adult ADHD (A qualitative research).

• IRAS ID

  181895

• Contact name

  Mohammad Omar MANZAR

• Contact email

  mohammadomar.manzar@mhsc.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  The proposed study will examine the psychological reaction of patients receiving their first diagnosis of Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mounting evidence is pointing to the validity of this novel diagnosis, but little is known about the actual psychological impact of such a diagnosis. As with other medical diagnoses certain reactions could be expected such as anger or disappointment, a sense of loss, and possibly frustration at being diagnosed with a condition usually reserved for children.
  Due to lack of general understanding about the condition as well as professional stigma, people who could potentially benefit from treatment are not yet receiving accurate or timely diagnoses. It is known that ‘Adult ADHD may be linked with a poor psychosocial outcome, also associated with psychiatric co morbidities and may present with forensic sequelae ‘(Philip Collins and Tom white 2001). In disease model such as patients receiving late adolescence type I diabetes mellitus diagnosis , knowing the diagnosis is associated with stresses in one hand and on other for some it’s discloser to relative appeared to be associated with mental trauma ( Eco Sota 2003). Without further evidence to support the validity of this condition research into its impact and treatment may flounder leaving the group to go untreated. The consequences could be enormous and hence our research in the initial stage will examine people’s experience with the diagnosis. A future objective is the development of a questionnaire based on the themes that emerge in the proposed research.
  We will conduct focus groups of maximum 4 to 6 patients to examine the participants’ experiences. Sessions will be recorded, transcribed and analyzed using qualitative analytic software. Identified themes will be fashioned into a questionnaire, which will be administered to a wider patient group.
  The eligible patients will be adults ranging from 18 to 60 years of age who has received their first diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood.
  The study site will be at the Adult ADHD clinic at the Rawnsley Building, Manchester. The entire project will last a year, with 6 months devoted to the first phase of qualitative interviews, and 6 months for piloting the questionnaire.

  Ref:
  1: Philip Collins and Tom white (2001), Forensic implication of ADHD in adulthood, the journal of Forensic psychiatry volume 13, issue2, 2002.
  2: Eco Sota and colleagues (2003)Socio-Psychological problems of patients with late adolescence onset type I diabetes –An analysis by qualitative research , Nagoya Journal of medicine ,66, 21, 2003

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/NW/0360

• Date of REC Opinion

  18 May 2016

• REC opinion

  Unfavourable Opinion