Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in New Zealand:A Critical Analysis

Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject Pedagogy - Pedagogic Psychology, grade: 1,7, Massey University, New Zealand, course: Counselling, language: English, abstract: Behavioural problems are an important issue within the educational sector that draw attention from both the public and academic sphere. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a major concern for teachers as those affected can display behaviours that are distracting, aggressive, and unsocial. This essay will examine ADHD in relation to a New Zealand context. First, an outline of ADHD will be given that includes its prevalence, etiology, and presenting behaviours. Predominant diagnostic methods will be explained alongside typical treatment methodologies. A discussion will then follow on the political and cultural influences that dictate ideological trends of thinking on ADHD. It is concluded that while individual choice determines the type of analysis and treatment used by teachers and medical professionals on a micro level, subsequent political and cultural conditions dictate the overall accepted knowledge surrounding ADHD on a macro level.