Who we talked to
The VOICES Project team interviewed more than 150 children in the US and UK between the ages of 9-14. Some of the kids had ADHD and were taking stimulant medication, some had ADHD and were unmedicated and some of the kids we interviewed had no diagnosis at all (the control group).
What we asked
Interviews with children are at the core of our research with children. Our interviews included talking, drawing, responding to a short story, and completing sentences. We asked children about behavior, ADHD, different sorts of treatments, and stimulant drugs. We asked children about their brains. We also collected material about their schools, homes and neighborhoods and about their families and friends.
What we found
We are currently drafting reports detailing the results of the VOICES study and these will be made available for download on this site later in the year (one for the US and one for the UK). Please use the 'contact' link at the top of the page to let us know if you'd like a copy of the report sent to you once it is available.
Who we talked to
What we asked
What we found
Kids' Drawings of Brains
When we interviewed children for the VOICES study, we asked each child to draw their brain and describe how he or she think it works. Here are a few of the results.
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What kids say...
Ned, UK male, age 12
I’ll go and tell a teacher but the teacher says, ‘You keep telling us and it’s getting annoying.’ So there’s nothing really very much we can do. So it really just leaves us to sort it out. And then it just sorts it out over a fight. ...
Thomas, UK male
My anger’s got another side to it. My emotions, emotions kind of take over. When I hit somebody, like, if I, like, care about them, I just drop to the floor and cry because I feel like I’ve been really bad. ...
Charlotte, age 11, UK female
At birthday parties I think, ‘well I’m a normal person like everyone else’… But then when someone’s being horrible to me that’s when I know that I’ve got it… because I get wound up so easily.
James, UK male
When I have my tablets I can remember lots of stuff, like now, I can remember stuff but when I’m not on the tablets I can’t remember nothing.
Ian, age 12, USA
I wouldn’t use ADHD as an excuse for not paying attention in class. That would be kind of embarrassing. Like the other kids don’t know that I have it and then I would get made fun of. ...
Christopher, age 12, UK male
Teachers are not effective. They don’t help. They’re always shouting...about half of them forget that you’ve actually got ADHD when you’re in their classroom.
Simon, age 11, UK male
My mates look out for me. If I’m running toward somebody they would either tackle me or hold me down or something. That’s what good mates do for each other.
Salma, age 10, UK female
I wish people would notice that I’m, like, behaving well, but most people concentrate on bad behavior. Like teachers…they are too busy sorting out the naughty kids.
Sylvia, age 12, US female
ADHD is kind of like a cancer disease but you’re not going to die from it.
Dave, age 12, US male
I don’t know what that [ADHD] is. It’s got something to do with your behaviour... because if you’re having problems with your work and stuff, then God doesn’t want you to do good.
Peter, age 11, US male
I get in trouble for talking in class a lot… Other kids do it but I do it more. I don’t think it’s so hard for them to stop.
Mimi, age 10, US female
Like I say stuff that I don’t even like know why I said that and then a couple of minutes later I’m like, wow, did I just really do that? I can’t believe I did that.
Sandra, age 11, US female
Things other kids find easy are hard for me… I have these times when I can’t stop what I’m doing even if it’s wrong.
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