Title: “Does the current trend in the rise of ADHD diagnoses reflect in counselling training?”

With an increasing number of ADHD diagnoses being reported, therapists are likely to work with more clients who are either awaiting a diagnosis or have already been diagnosed. Additionally, there may be clients who suspect they have ADHD due to specific challenges but have not yet sought a formal diagnosis.

The aim of my research project is to gain a deeper understanding of this aspect of a therapist’s work. I aim to examine whether therapists feel adequately trained to support neurodiverse clients, particularly those diagnosed with ADHD. Should improvements be made, and if so, how?

As part of my dissertation for a BA in Therapeutic Counselling, I will survey both trainee and qualified counsellors about their experiences of working with clients with ADHD. The survey will consist of questions focusing on training, psychosocial factors and therapeutic outcomes.

Participation in this survey will be completely anonymous. Participants will be asked to complete an online questionnaire which I anticipate taking no more than 15 minutes to complete. Participants should be over 18 and either in training with regular clients or already qualified as a counsellor.

Participants must also be members of an accredited professional body, such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), ensuring they adhere to high professional and ethical standards through their recognised membership.

If this is an area that interests you, please click on the link below to complete the survey: -

https://forms.microsoft.com/r/GdEwnpmLER

Information for participants:

You are invited: to participate in a survey that looks at the above areas of research. This study is being carried out as part of my research project for a BA in Therapeutic Counselling studies. Please read the information below to gain a greater understanding of this project.

What do you want me to do for this study? I would like to ask you a series of questions in the form of a questionnaire. All questions will be carefully worded with courtesy and respect to the clients you are working with.

What is the purpose of this research? It seeks to investigate further research relating to ADHD around counselling training, psychosocial factors and therapeutic outcomes.

Will this survey be confidential? Your participation in this research survey will remain completely anonymous and carried out through Microsoft Forms, an online survey creator.

Data protection and privacy: Under Data Protection, no identifiable data will be kept by the researcher.

Are there risks involved when completing this survey? I do not anticipate any risks by being involved in this survey.

Will there be any costs involved? No costs will be involved by participating in this survey.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information and complete this survey.