Stigmatization of ADHD: A Developmental Review

In recent years, the stigmatization faced by people with mental disorders has received considerable attention in the empirical literature. However, individuals with different disorders are subject to distinct types of negative attitudes, necessitating examinations of stigma that treat specific disorders individually.

This article reviews recent empirical literature concerning the stigmatization of ADHD. Further specificity is achieved by taking a developmental perspective, reviewing studies of stigmatizing attitudes as a function of the age of the target and perceiver.

Findings from nationally representative data sets, experimental investigations, surveys, and qualitative studies indicate that individuals of all ages who exhibit symptoms of ADHD are the recipients of substantial stigmatization.

Although the stigmatizing attitudes of children and adolescents appear to differ in some ways from those of adults, negative perceptions toward people with ADHD appear to generally be present at all stages of development.