| This research examined and documented the shared lived experiences of females growing up with attention deficit hyperactive disordered (ADHD). In particular, the study focuses on the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional experiences of three adolescent females with ADHD and the life of the researcher who was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of forty.; All student participants were diagnosed as being ADHD in the second grade. Data collection for this study was obtained using case study for the individual student participants and heuristic inquiry for the researcher/participant. Through systematic inquiry utilizing multiple methodologies, data was obtained by means of interviews, observations, and document analyses. Data were classified under the headings of personal knowledge of the disorder, peer interactions, social skills, academics, self-perception, family dynamics, and diagnosis and treatment. To know how females experienced the phenomenon of growing up attention deficit hyperactive disordered (ADHD), the researcher gathered, analyzed and compared the qualitative information about their experiences and repeated the systematic inquiry comparing the experiences of the student participants to those of the researcher/participant. The data is presented in a portraiture format.; The research findings indicate that despite all three student participants being diagnosed in second grade, none had an in-depth understanding of their disability. Their primary positive academic experience they discussed was their placement into a self-contained special education program for students with severe emotional/behavioral disorders. None of the student participants had received sustained multimodal treatment for ADHD. Furthermore, analyses suggest all three students spoke of the pain of not being able to establish peer relationships. Based on this research, recommendations include increasing multimodal treatment, providing support groups at all levels of school so females can see there are others who struggle with the same issues. Lastly, analyses suggest that providing professional development opportunities for educators to learn more about the disorder and how it manifests itself in the educational setting is essential for helping female students with ADHD. |
