Comparative Study on the Perception of the Neighborhood Environment and Experience of Out-of-School Activities between Typical Students and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between a attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) group and a general student group in terms of the perception of the residential environment and periodic activities outside the classroom. METHODS: The patient group consisted of 62 outpatients or inpatients at the Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, and 49 patients diagnosed with ADHD were selected. For the control group, 3727 youths in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools of one city were asked to fill out questionnaires. Of the 1717 respondents who responded to the questionnaires, 245 were selected for a patient-controlled study. The differences between the patient group and the control group were compared using the chi-squared test (χ2 test). RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the patient group and the control group in areas where students responded by “My neighborhood is dirty and littered (p < 0.05)”. There was also a significant difference between the patient group and the control group in terms of having more than one club activity per month (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the patients with ADHD are more aware of perceived negative aspects of the area in which they reside, thus reflecting their anxiety. In addition, it was also found that the patient group did not partake in as many social activities as the control group.