The Stigma of ADHD: Teacher Ratings of Labeled Students

Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), little sociological research has focused on effects of diagnosis in schools. This study, which is grounded in the modified labeling approach, relies on three waves of Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K:2011) data to determine if teachers evaluate the academic performance of ADHD students as less promising than non-diagnosed peers. Results indicate that teachers are more likely to rate ADHD students as performing below grade level and are less likely to acknowledge these students as performing above grade level—regardless of demonstrated ability on subject-specific tests. The latter finding is, in part, a function of real and/or perceived behaviors in the classroom that inform teachers’ grade-level performance ratings. We argue that diagnosis may be a double-edged sword for children and their families, as it can provide access to special resources in the school but may activate teachers’ negative stereotypes about diagnosed students.