Families Journeying Together: Exploring Resilience in Families with Adolescents with ADHD
Date
2019-01-24
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Abstract
There is increasing attention given to the ways that children and adolescents with ADHD experience resilience and factors that help them to thrive. Research in this area is particularly needed for the relatively understudied group, emerging adolescents, who are experiencing a key transitional stage of life and are at risk for developing significant comorbidities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of resilience among emerging adolescents and their families. Using a qualitative, constructivist grounded theory approach, 21 interviews were conducted with parents and primary caregivers of emerging adolescents with ADHD, adolescents with ADHD and supportive professionals who work directly with this population. Participants were from three Canadian cities. A resilience-promoting process emerged of Families Journeying Together. It comprised three parts of experiencing constant challenge, building family consciousness, and moving forward. The findings underlined the key role that parents play in the lives of emerging adolescents with ADHD, and the need to include a family systems perspective when exploring resilience in ADHD. Participants affirmed the relevance of an ecological approach to understanding and supporting resilience for emerging adolescents with ADHD and their families. Findings suggest future research and policy/program development that focuses upon ecological factors to nurture resilience and well-being.
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Resilience ADHD Adolescence
Citation
McMenemy, T. C. (2019). Families journeying together: Exploring resilience in families with adolescents with ADHD (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.