Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescence has largely been overlooked in the literature in terms of the experience of those so diagnosed. In clinical practice there is an understanding that this population experiences profoundly painful interpersonal difficulties, but at an empirical level the experience of the adolescent is poorly understood. In this psychoanalytically-informed qualitative study, five adolescents, aged 16–17, with a diagnosis of ADHD took part in three interviews. The material was analysed in keeping with the psychoanalytically-informed method. Three inter-related themes emerged: ‘not being able to “let out” difficult emotion,’ which reflected participants’ struggle with overwhelming and unmanageable affect; ‘(un)soothing experience with self and other,’ which described the relationship between care-seeking and care-giving behaviours in the lives of these youths; and ‘being in and out of control,’ which relates to the complex relationship that participants have with self-control as well as the control of others. In the lives of these adolescents, the search for containment in interpersonal relationships is explored, as well as a discussion of a substitute for soothing in the absence of a ‘good enough’ object in early interactions.

根据如此诊断的经验，青少年的注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）在文献中已被大大忽略。在临床实践中，人们认识到该人群在人际交往方面遇到了极大的痛苦，但从经验的角度，对青少年的经验知之甚少。在这项经过心理分析的定性研究中，五名年龄在16-17岁，被诊断为多动症的青少年参加了三次访谈。按照心理分析方法对材料进行了分析。出现了三个相互关联的主题：“无法“消除”困难的情绪”，这反映了参与者在压倒性的，难以控制的情绪中的挣扎；“（自我）对自我和他人的舒缓经历，'描述了这些年轻人的生活中寻求和照顾行为之间的关系；以及“处于控制状态”和“处于控制状态”，这涉及参与者与自我控制以及他人控制之间的复杂关系。在这些青少年的生活中，探索了在人际关系中寻求遏制的方法，并讨论了在早期互动中没有“足够好”的对象的情况下替代抚慰的方法。