When ADHD exacerbates school difficulties and leads to exclusion: a case study

Historically, students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have often been subjected to segregating and exclusionary practices within education. This study aims to investigate the school situation of three students with an ADHD diagnosis in a special education setting (resource room), to gain a better understanding of the consequences of having an ADHD diagnosis in compulsory education. A theoretical framework was employed to explore the processes that shaped the students’ educational experiences. Specifically, the study examines how their classification in a medical framework affected their schooling. Ian Hacking’s concept of ‘The looping effect’ was integrated with the Staircase Model of Inclusionary and Exclusionary Processes to inform the analysis. The findings show that the ADHD diagnosis influenced how the three boys were perceived, shaping their educational trajectories. The findings also indicate that the students’ behaviour and characteristics were perceived as inherent to their diagnosis. The students faced expectations that they were unable to change their behaviour and participate in a regular classroom setting. These expectations seemed to be a powerful force within the school that led to exclusionary processes, as well as to feelings of hopelessness and a sense of being different from their peers.