For the first time, researchers revealed six stages of engagement in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The study was published in Pediatrics by experts at Boston Medical Center.
“Although ADHD is treatable, barriers remain to engagement in treatment, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged and racial and ethnic minority families,” the study says.
“Our goal was to examine the process by which families engage in ADHD treatment and to identify targets for an intervention to improve engagement in care.”
For the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted among 41 parental figures with children in childhood and adolescence treated for ADHD. In the interviews, the parental figures were asked about their experience with ADHD diagnosis and treatment.
From the findings, six stages to the process of engaging in care for children with ADHD sufficed, this included: normalization and hesitation, stigmatization and fear, action and advocacy, communications and navigation, care and validation, and preparation and transition.
The study’s authors concluded: “The 6 stages framework could be used to develop new strategies to measure engagement and to design family-centered interventions to facilitate engagement in ADHD treatment.”
