Date
8-29-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Susan Quindag
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, creative growth mindset, developing creativity
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Strickland, Mary C., "Exploring Teachers' Perspectives of Developing Creativity in Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7440.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7440
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experience of teachers developing the creativity of students with ADHD in the southern United States. At this stage in the research, high school students with ADHD were generally defined as students who have been formally diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The theory guiding this study was Karwowski’s theory of creative growth mindset. The central research question for this study was: What are the lived experiences of teachers developing the creativity of high school students with ADHD? This study was a hermeneutic phenomenology that explored the experiences of 10-15 high school teachers whose students include those who are diagnosed with ADHD. Data were collected through individual interviews, journal prompts, and focus groups. The data were analyzed following van Manen’s wholistic, selective, and detailed reading approaches. The data revealed five themes of: (a) students with ADHD are most creative within structure, (b) students with diverse ADHD have diverse creative qualities, (c) students with ADHD process information differently than others, (d) students with ADHD need safety and trust, and (e) teachers can develop creativity in their students with ADHD. The findings were interpreted as: (a) students with ADHD need creativity in the classroom, (b) creativity in the classroom does not have to be elaborate, (c) creative strategies help build safety and trust in the classroom, (d) structure is necessary for developing creativity, and (e) teachers need training to be effective in developing creativity. Recommendations for future research included doing a longitudinal study of students with ADHD and creativity.
