Diagnosis identity perception of adolescents with ADHD and its relationship to social participation and quality of life.
Teens who view ADHD as a positive part of their identity have better social lives and quality of life—assess identity perception in your assessments.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Abu Raya-Ghanayem et al. (2025) asked teens with ADHD how they feel about having ADHD. They used a short survey called the ADHD Identity Perception Scale.
The team also measured social participation, symptom severity, and quality of life. They wanted to see if a positive ADHD identity links to better daily living.
What they found
Teens who saw ADHD as a positive part of themselves joined more activities and felt better day-to-day. They also rated their own symptoms as less severe.
The study found positive results. Identity perception acted like a protective shield for social life and well-being.
How this fits with other research
Zaguri-Vittenberg et al. (2025) looked at the same age group but added DCD to the mix. They found more diagnoses meant worse quality of life. Noor shows identity can soften the blow, giving clinicians two levers: reduce impairment and boost identity.
Yang et al. (2013) tracked kids with ADHD into adulthood. Persistent symptoms and anxiety dragged quality of life down. Noor flips the timeline: catch positive identity early and you may slow that downward path.
Appelqvist-Schmidlechner et al. (2020) studied young adults with ASD or ADHD. Social relationships stood out as the biggest driver of positive mental health. Noor agrees: identity and social participation travel together.
Why it matters
You already ask about symptoms and impairment. Add two identity questions: 'Is ADHD part of who you are?' and 'Is that good or bad?' Teens who answer positively can be peer mentors. Teens who answer negatively may need self-advocacy training or counseling. Framing ADHD as a difference, not a deficit, could lift social participation and quality of life in your next semester group.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine how adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) perceive their diagnosis identity and assess its relationships with ADHD symptom severity, social participation, and quality of life (QoL). METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 75 adolescents aged 11-18 years (M = 15.24 years, SD = 1.83) diagnosed with ADHD. Participants completed an online survey, including the ADHD Self-Report Scale, an ADHD-adapted Illness Identity Questionnaire, Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation, Youth Engagement and Satisfaction in Social Life, and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, ANOVA, and correlations. RESULTS: A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that the adolescents reported significantly higher positive feelings than negative feelings regarding their ADHD, F(3, 222) =19.66, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.07. Pearson correlation analysis showed that a more positive ADHD identity perception was significantly correlated with lower ADHD symptom severity (r = -0.39, p < 0.001) and higher social participation (r = 0.47, p < 0.01), engagement (r = 0.48, p < 0.001), and QoL (r = 0.56, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the associations between ADHD identity perceptions, social participation and engagement, and QoL in adolescents. Adolescents who report more positive ADHD identity perceptions also tend to report greater social involvement and QoL, and vice versa. Understanding these perceptions can help clinicians and educators support adolescents in developing a healthier and more positive self-identity.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105102