The meandering river : an intuitive inquiry of self-compassion in late-diagnosed women with ADHD in Aotearoa, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of self-compassion (SC) in adult women with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This was explored using intuitive inquiry as a research method. This method is a compassionate way of engaging with research. Utilising a five-cycle hermeneutic structure, the researcher is invited to engage with their own subjective experience throughout the process, a process which has the potential for personal transformation for the researcher and the participants. The cycles are conceptualised through the metaphor of a river cycle. Seven women with late-diagnosed ADHD described their experiences of self-compassion through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts and highlight themes from the participants. Four integrated lenses were identified. These lenses indicated (a) self-compassion is an embodied transformation process in which the body becomes the site of action; (b) cues for self-compassion were assisted by participants connection to natural rhythms – their own internal cycles, and external natural cycles; (c) conditions for self-compassion supported participants to move towards more accommodating environments and (d) diagnosis is an accelerator of self-compassion.