(PS4-8) School Connectedness in Relation to Self-Stigma Among Students with ADHD

Abstract Text: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting an estimated 8.8% of children in the United States and often persisting into adulthood (Song et al, 2021). ADHD is characterized by impairment across multiple domains of functioning, and prior research shows ADHD as a highly stigmatized condition among teachers, peers, the public overall, and even among people diagnosed with ADHD (Wiener et al., 2012; Visser et al., 2012; Mueller et al., 2012). As many ADHD symptoms directly impact academic performance and peer relationships, schools may serve double duty as a critical identifier of ADHD in students (Snider et al., 2000) while also being an environment where students may be stigmatized by peers and teachers (Wiener et al., 2012; Gwernan-Jones et al., 2016). Despite growing recognition of the existence and impact of ADHD stigma, studies have yet to examine school-related factors that may play an important role in ADHD-related stigma among students with ADHD. A positive school climate has been found to be negatively associated with mental health stigma (Townsend et al., 2017), and the subdomain of school connectedness is of particular interest due to its potential to mitigate mental health risks (Rose et al., 2024). The current study examines student-reported school connectedness and ADHD-related stigma beliefs held by students with ADHD. Participants were 72 students in fifth grade (Mage = 10.63; 57% female; 5.6% Asian, 9.7% Black, 1.4% Native Hawaiian, 63.9% White, 1.4% Middle Eastern/North African, 15.3% Multiracial, 2.8% Other/Self-Described; 16.7% Hispanic/Latino). All participants met DSM-5 criteria for ADHD based on the K-SADS semi-structured diagnostic interview administered to the child’s caregiver, with 80.6% having a historical diagnosis of ADHD prior to study enrollment. Children completed measures assessing school connectedness and beliefs of ADHD-related stigma, including overall stigma and stigma in the domains of negative self-image, disclosure concerns, and concerns with public attitude. Prior to completing the ADHD stigma questionnaire, all children confirmed that they knew what ADHD was. Bivariate correlations were conducted, followed by regression analyses examining whether school connectedness remained associated with ADHD-related stigma when controlling for sex and previous history of ADHD diagnosis. Higher school connectedness was correlated with significantly lower ADHD-related concern with public attitude stigma (-.399, p < .001) and significantly lower overall ADHD-related stigma (r = .312, p = .008). School connectedness was not significantly correlated with negative self-image or disclosure concerns (ps > .10). In regression analyses, higher school connectedness remained associated with significantly lower overall ADHD-related stigma (β = -.275, t = -2.010, p = .048), as well as specifically in the domain of concern with public attitude (β = -.329, t = -2.498, p = .015). These findings provide initial evidence that school connectedness may mitigate the development of ADHD-stigma beliefs among students with ADHD. Future work should prioritize longitudinal investigation in larger samples to test mechanisms and developmental processes.