Olaniyan Omolara, dosReis Susan, Garriett Victoria, Mychailyszyn Matthew P, Anixt Julia, Rowe Peter C, Cheng Tina L
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Ambul Pediatr. 2007 May-Jun;7(3):226-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ambp.2007.02.002.
To explore parents' perceptions of childhood behavior problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among a sample of African American (AA) parents.
Five focus groups were conducted in inner-city Baltimore and the Washington, DC, metropolitan region with 5 to 7 AA parents per group. Adults with children under the age of 17 years were recruited from pediatric practices. One investigator moderated each focus group, and a second took notes. Sessions averaged 1.5 hours long, were recorded on audiotape, and were transcribed verbatim. The narrative data were coded for recurring themes.
Five major themes emerged from the analysis: causes of behavioral problems in children, the legitimacy of ADHD as a diagnosis, attitudes about doctors, opinions of medication, and perceptions of the school environment. Many participants felt that behavior issues, including those accompanying ADHD, were caused by inappropriate parenting and disciplinary practices. Some viewed the diagnosis as a label applied with racial inequality to exert social control over AAs. Several expressed distrust in physicians who were quick to make a diagnosis of ADHD and recommend medications. Others worried that medication would lead to drug addiction in adulthood. Some perceived that children were labeled with ADHD because of poor educational environments that were unresponsive to the needs of AA children.
These focus groups identified important community perceptions about ADHD and its medical treatment. Understanding how these perceptions contribute to racial disparities in ADHD diagnosis and treatment can help inform culturally sensitive interventions to improve the management of ADHD among AA children.
在非裔美国（AA）家长样本中探究家长对儿童行为问题及注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的看法。
在巴尔的摩市中心以及华盛顿特区大都市区开展了5个焦点小组访谈，每组有5至7名非裔美国家长。从儿科诊所招募了有17岁以下孩子的成年人。一名调查员主持每个焦点小组，另一名做记录。访谈平均时长为1.5小时，用录音带记录，并逐字转录。对叙述性数据进行编码以找出反复出现的主题。
分析得出五个主要主题：儿童行为问题的成因、ADHD作为一种诊断的合理性、对医生的态度、对药物的看法以及对学校环境的认知。许多参与者认为行为问题，包括那些伴随ADHD的问题，是由不当的养育和管教方式导致的。一些人认为该诊断是一种带有种族不平等色彩的标签，用于对非裔美国人实施社会控制。一些人对那些急于诊断ADHD并推荐药物的医生表示不信任。其他人担心药物会导致成年后成瘾。一些人认为孩子被贴上ADHD的标签是因为教育环境不佳，这种环境对非裔美国儿童的需求没有反应。
这些焦点小组确定了社区对ADHD及其医学治疗的重要看法。了解这些看法如何导致ADHD诊断和治疗中的种族差异，有助于为提高文化敏感性干预措施提供信息，以改善对非裔美国儿童ADHD的管理。
