ADHD, developmental trauma & Therapeutic Community discourses

Quantitative research based on diagnostic classification has been limited in developing an understanding of ADHD and its related behaviour among children who have experienced Developmental Trauma, including neglect and abuse. Clinical practice may not attend sufficiently to the emotional experiences of these children with a diagnosis of ADHD, due to the dominance of biomedical discourse. This study utilised discourse analysis to examine discourses, of Therapeutic Community staff, about ADHD and its related behaviour among looked after children who have had experiences of Developmental Trauma. Non-medical and environmental discourses were dominant in this setting. A Biopsychosocial discourse legitimised multi-disciplinary collaboration between Therapeutic Community and mainstream practice for complex difficulties among this population of children. Children’s understanding of ADHD and stimulant medication prescribed for this diagnosis, along with clinical and research implications, were considered.