A contributor to a controversial Channel 4 documentary about ADHD has accused the filmmakers behind it of “misrepresenting” her views.
Earlier this week, the British broadcaster aired The Great ADHD Myth?, which claimed that it sought to “determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct”.
Immediately after it aired, the doc prompted a wave of impassioned responses, perhaps most notably from the UK’s leading ADHD charity ADHD UK, which suggested the show could contribute to further stigmatising the condition.
ADHD UK co-founder Henry Shelford told HuffPost UK: “We are shocked by this programme. The fact it got commissioned at all speaks to the stigma around ADHD – a stigma that is now likely to get worse because of this show.”
Since then, Katya Rubia, a professor of cognitive neuroscience who was interviewed as part of the Channel 4 doc, has also spoken out against it.
“I agreed to take part in this documentary because I knew it was aiming to show ADHD was a myth and I wanted to provide an alternative view,” she said, as reported by The Guardian.
“But they cherrypicked, largely misrepresented, truncated and presented my comments out of context to make them fit into their narrative.”
She added: “Biased programmes like this one that push their view of ADHD as a mythical entity are irresponsible and will have detrimental effects, in particular at a time in our society where mental health conditions are escalating and where there is an urgent need for early diagnosis and early treatment to prevent further damage down the line.”
A Channel 4 spokesperson responded: “We are satisfied that Katya Rubia’s contribution has been edited fairly, is an accurate representation of the interview she gave and that her consent was informed.”
Following the doc, a survey by the charity ADHD UK revealed that, of 1,566 people who watched the show, 92% believed it had increased stigma surrounding ADHD, while 93% did not believe the show was fair in its representation of the condition.
“It is undeniable that there is considerable public debate on various aspects of ADHD, including in relation to the prescribing of medication and diagnostic procedures, and it is not misleading to suggest that these views exist,” Channel 4’s rep said.
“Channel 4 has a remit which includes offering a platform for alternative views, stimulating public debate and challenging the status quo.”
