Abstract
Despite the potential benefits of sport participation for individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), they may face challenges that undermine their sport experiences. Yet there is little research that tries to understand the sport experiences of individuals with AD/HD. The purpose of this study was to explore the youth sport experiences of individuals with AD/HD. Six male young adults (age range = 17-26 years) diagnosed with AD/HD who had played three or more seasons of team sport(s) in their youth were purposefully sampled. Only males were chosen because more males are diagnosed with AD/HD than females at a ratio of approximately 3:1. Participants each completed two semi-structured interviews. Data analysis using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009) revealed that participants shared common sport experiences. Overall, participants enjoyed playing sports and recalled that they benefited from participating in sport. However, they also recalled negative experiences pertaining to sport performances and interactions with coaches and teammates. Many perceived that their AD/HD symptoms manifested in sport, and that these symptoms and associated behaviours influenced their sport performance and relationship with others. How they and others in sport responded to the symptoms and associated behaviours shaped their sport experiences. Findings from this study revealed specific issues that mattered to participants' enjoyment of sport. This might inform coaches of athletes with AD/HD on ways to enhance their sport experiences, subsequently, promoting sport participation for this group of individuals.
