Lacey Allen

Thesis

Thesis

Storytelling, Fairy tales and ADHD: Adapting Narratives for Neurodivergent Audiences

Supervisor: Mariana Lopez

My PhD focuses on exploring the fairy tale structure and how this can be beneficial for neurodivergent audiences, specifically those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I focus on improving attention retention for ADHD audiences through storytelling and I explore how the enjoyment of films and literature should be prioritised for ADHD audiences. I do this through the exploration of narrative structure and consider whether the fairy tale structure in particular can aid ADHD audiences with attention retention and information recall when engaging with different media. I do this through applying the fairy tale structure to a horror story, and I compare the responses to horror and fairy tales in relation to how much information has been retained from the beginning, middle and end of the story. Due to the fairy tale having the potential for ADHD audiences, there is also the potential for it to be beneficial for non-ADHD audiences as well. The PhD prioritises accessibility in media and the importance of this for all audiences.