Date
8-29-2025
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Nathan Borrett
Keywords
social media, ADHD, internet, qualitative, adults, psychological, environmental, challenges
Disciplines
Psychology
Recommended Citation
James, Marcelle E., "The Impact of ADHD on Social Media Use: Navigating the Internet while Struggling with Environmental and Psychological Factors" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7368.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7368
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of 18 to 35-year-old adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their perceptions of the psychological and environmental challenges they face while navigating the internet, specifically social media. The theoretical foundation of the study was Barkley’s Executive Functional Theory. The four research questions examined the experiences of the participants and their unique challenges in life from a psychological and environmental perspective. Purposive sampling was utilized, and semi-structed interviews were conducted. The qualitative phenomenology perspective allowed participants to express their opinions without restrictions. The data was collected and analyzed using MAXQDA, and five themes emerged with twenty subthemes. The study findings suggest that social media can be a positive tool providing emotional support as well as a source of psychological distress for adults with ADHD, and there may be a need for interventions by mental health professionals that promote healthy boundaries for social media use, the design of digital time management tools, and content filtering for this population.
