What's the story with ADHD?: Exploring sociocultural conceptualisations and the treatment of ADHD
Authors
Campbell, Shane
Issue Date
2025.16.12
Degree
BA in Psychotherapy
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Open Access
Abstract
This study explores the sociocultural conceptualisations and treatment of ADHD, challenging its biomedical construction as a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder. Drawing on theoretical insights from Michel Foucault and Iain McGilchrist, it examines how psychiatric discourse has permeated social institutions. Section 1 critiques the authority of the DSM and its role in pathologising disruptive behaviour, positioning ADHD as an objectifying mechanism of social control. Section 2 examines the dominance of behavioural therapies, linking their rise to left-brain tendencies for control and standardisation, while exploring how right-brain-oriented approaches remain marginalised. Section 3 advocates for psychoanalytic and humanistic therapies that explore the meaning of one’s symptoms in relationship to their environment. This study advocates for a shift towards a more humanistic approach that moves beyond symptom-management.