Community Participation, Supports and Barriers of Adolescents with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Aim

To compare participation patterns, environmental supports, and barriers to community activities in adolescents with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Turkey.

Methods

Participants were 94 adolescents with ADHD and 109 adolescents without ADHD ages 13-17 years (mean age 14.6, S.D 1.49 years) Participation frequency, involvement rate, mothers who desired change, and environmental supports and barriers in a community setting were assessed with the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY).

Results

Adolescents with ADHD participated 20.3% less frequently in socializing with peers in the community than adolescents without ADHD. With moderate to large effect sizes, the mean involvement rate in four community activities, including neighborhood outings, community events, socializing with peers in the community, and religious activities, was significantly lower for adolescents with ADHD than for adolescents without ADHD.

Conclusion

Adolescents with ADHD participate less frequently and are less involved in socializing with peers in the community. Almost half of all ADHD adolescents never participate in community events. It was seen that cognitive difficulties, sensory qualities, and safety may prevent adolescents with ADHD from socializing with peers in the community.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• community
• participation

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability

The authors do not have permission to share data.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Ozgun Kaya Kara

Dr. Ozgun Kaya Kara, Assoc. Prof., is an academician in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at the Akdeniz University. Her research interests focus on the participation in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, chronic pain of paediatric populations, and the role of exercise on their treatment.

Barkin Kose

Dr. Barkin Kose, Assist. Prof., is an occupational therapist in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Health Sciences Turkey. His researches focus primarily on paediatric population with disabilities and their rehabilitation program.

Sebahat Yaprak Cetin

Dr. Sebahat Yaprak Cetin, Assoc. Prof., is a pediatric physiotherapist in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at the Akdeniz University. She has an interest in children and adolescents with disabilities, patients with rheumatologic diseases.

Sedef Sahin

Dr. Sedef Sahin, Assoc. Prof., is a lecturer in Department of Occupational Therapy at the Hacettepe University. Her research focuses on participation and oncologic rehabilitation approaches to children and adolescents.

Koray Kara

Dr. Koray Kara, Assoc. Prof., is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who divides time between clinical and research work. His research focuses on clinical research in the areas of child and adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, etc.