Sibling accounts of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The goal of this research was to generate a description of how siblings in families with attention, deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children exp erienced and lived with this chronic behavioral disorder. Interview and dia ry data from 11 families (N = 43) were analyzed using the constant comparat ive method. Data analysis revealed that siblings felt victimized by their A DHD sibling and that their experience of victimization was often minimized or overlooked in the family. Findings suggest that there is a need for incr eased social and mental health services for all members of the family over the course of the disorder, and that the effects on siblings, in particular , can be potentially quite deleterious to their health and wellbeing.