title: ADHD stigma among college students.
abstract: The current study examined ADHD stigma within a college-enrolled young adult population, including the debate regarding the cause of stigma: label or behavior. In Phase 1, 135 college students rated stigma toward one of the four fictitious partners described as having either: the label of ADHD alone, the behaviors associated with ADHD alone, the label of ADHD and a set of behaviors associated with ADHD, or neither the label nor behaviors. In Phase 2, 48 college students rated stigma toward one of the two assigned fictitious partners described as having either: the label of ADHD and a set of behaviors associated with ADHD, or the label of Depression and a set of behaviors associated with Depression. It was hypothesized that the interaction between the label and the behaviors would cause the highest levels of ADHD stigma and that ADHD would elicit more stigma than Depression. In Phase 1, stigma was associated with the behaviors of ADHD, but not the label. In Phase 2, ADHD and Depression were found to be equally stigmatized. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA. amanda.thompson@kirkwood.edu.|Learning Services Department, Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52406, USA. amanda.thompson@kirkwood.edu.
authors.forename: Amanda Chi
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Lefler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057545:Social Stigma; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; Adult ADHD; College; Labels; Stigma