Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study
Abstract Background Though many adults with ADHD underperform professionally, are more stressed, and have more days of sickness absence compared to adults without ADHD, few studies have explored the experience of working as an adult with ADHD. This study explores the general experience of working wi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04409-w |
| _version_ | 1811315467756765184 |
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| author | Martin Oscarsson Martina Nelson Alexander Rozental Ylva Ginsberg Per Carlbring Fredrik Jönsson |
| author_facet | Martin Oscarsson Martina Nelson Alexander Rozental Ylva Ginsberg Per Carlbring Fredrik Jönsson |
| author_sort | Martin Oscarsson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Though many adults with ADHD underperform professionally, are more stressed, and have more days of sickness absence compared to adults without ADHD, few studies have explored the experience of working as an adult with ADHD. This study explores the general experience of working with ADHD, including stress and work-related mental illness. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 20 working adults with ADHD. Interview topics included how the ADHD diagnosis and/or symptoms of ADHD may have affected participants on the job, how work may have affected participants’ well-being, and the need for support and accommodation. Qualitative content analysis was used to explore verbatim transcripts from the interviews. Results The analysis yielded three themes that describe some of the challenges of working with ADHD: Working and living with ADHD, Needs, and Special abilities, with a total of eight subcategories. Subcategories were Specific challenges; Relationships and cooperation; Negative consequences; Planning, prioritization, organization, and structure; Support, interventions, accommodations, and aids; Openness, understanding, and acceptance; Strategies; Strengths and qualities. Conclusion Further knowledge about the challenges of working with ADHD is needed in workplaces; where organizational support is lacking, much in terms of accommodations and aids is up to the employee, and the disclosure of diagnoses may be associated with great dilemma. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:31:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89af1290294941afbfe5eb667e63d12f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:31:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-89af1290294941afbfe5eb667e63d12f2022-12-22T02:48:33ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-11-0122111110.1186/s12888-022-04409-wStress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative studyMartin Oscarsson0Martina Nelson1Alexander Rozental2Ylva Ginsberg3Per Carlbring4Fredrik Jönsson5Department of Psychology, Stockholm UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Uppsala UniversityCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care ServicesDepartment of Psychology, Stockholm UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Stockholm UniversityAbstract Background Though many adults with ADHD underperform professionally, are more stressed, and have more days of sickness absence compared to adults without ADHD, few studies have explored the experience of working as an adult with ADHD. This study explores the general experience of working with ADHD, including stress and work-related mental illness. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 20 working adults with ADHD. Interview topics included how the ADHD diagnosis and/or symptoms of ADHD may have affected participants on the job, how work may have affected participants’ well-being, and the need for support and accommodation. Qualitative content analysis was used to explore verbatim transcripts from the interviews. Results The analysis yielded three themes that describe some of the challenges of working with ADHD: Working and living with ADHD, Needs, and Special abilities, with a total of eight subcategories. Subcategories were Specific challenges; Relationships and cooperation; Negative consequences; Planning, prioritization, organization, and structure; Support, interventions, accommodations, and aids; Openness, understanding, and acceptance; Strategies; Strengths and qualities. Conclusion Further knowledge about the challenges of working with ADHD is needed in workplaces; where organizational support is lacking, much in terms of accommodations and aids is up to the employee, and the disclosure of diagnoses may be associated with great dilemma.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04409-wAdult adhdWorkStressMental healthQualitative content analysis |
| spellingShingle | Martin Oscarsson Martina Nelson Alexander Rozental Ylva Ginsberg Per Carlbring Fredrik Jönsson Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study BMC Psychiatry Adult adhd Work Stress Mental health Qualitative content analysis |
| title | Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | stress and work related mental illness among working adults with adhd a qualitative study |
| topic | Adult adhd Work Stress Mental health Qualitative content analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04409-w |
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