Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa
| dc.contributor.advisor | Spedding, Maxine | |
| dc.contributor.author | Malefane, Reitumetse | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-04T11:19:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-04T11:19:17Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2025-09-04T11:15:07Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Adults who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) are an under-represented group in ADHD literature and little is known about their lived experiences. This study aimed to explore how AFAB university students with ADHD experience interpersonal relationships. Using an interpretive phenomenological framework, 12 AFAB students from a South African university were recruited to participate in individual semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to synthesise the data and generate a narrative account of the following two overarching themes, ‘compromised connection and vulnerability' and ‘strategising to find connection'. The findings depicted that the participants' interpersonal experiences were marked by frequent invalidation, judgement, and misunderstanding from those in their life. These factors were described as barriers to experiencing close and fulfilling interpersonal relationships. However, the participants also described several strategies that they believed buffered their negative social experiences. Whilst these strategies were shown to limit conflict and alienation, several of them were also demonstrated to be exhausting and detrimental to the participants' overall wellbeing. As such, this study highlighted the importance of mutually accommodating and supportive interpersonal relationships for AFAB adults with ADHD. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Malefane, R. (2025). <i>Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Malefane, Reitumetse. <i>"Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Malefane, R. 2025. Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Malefane, Reitumetse AB - Adults who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) are an under-represented group in ADHD literature and little is known about their lived experiences. This study aimed to explore how AFAB university students with ADHD experience interpersonal relationships. Using an interpretive phenomenological framework, 12 AFAB students from a South African university were recruited to participate in individual semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to synthesise the data and generate a narrative account of the following two overarching themes, ‘compromised connection and vulnerability' and ‘strategising to find connection'. The findings depicted that the participants' interpersonal experiences were marked by frequent invalidation, judgement, and misunderstanding from those in their life. These factors were described as barriers to experiencing close and fulfilling interpersonal relationships. However, the participants also described several strategies that they believed buffered their negative social experiences. Whilst these strategies were shown to limit conflict and alienation, several of them were also demonstrated to be exhausting and detrimental to the participants' overall wellbeing. As such, this study highlighted the importance of mutually accommodating and supportive interpersonal relationships for AFAB adults with ADHD. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - interpersonal relationships KW - ADHD KW - AFAB KW - Interpretive phenomenology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa TI - Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Malefane R. Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41693 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Psychology | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Humanities | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject | interpersonal relationships | |
| dc.subject | ADHD | |
| dc.subject | AFAB | |
| dc.subject | Interpretive phenomenology | |
| dc.title | Barriers to being seen: the interpersonal experiences of AFAB University students with ADHD in South Africa | |
| dc.type | Thesis / Dissertation | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters |