This study investigates the views and experiences of ten disabled pupils who attended a resourced provision attached to a mainstream secondary school.  It used semi-structured interviews within a social constructivist paradigm carried out with disabled teenagers by a disabled researcher.  The transcriptions of the interviews were analysed thematically with the categories for the analysis developed by grounded theory. Detailed consideration was given to the ethical issues raised by research which focuses on the need to promote the engagement of the children and ensure their voice is heard and these issues were addressed in the context of the present study. Evidence from this study indicates that the pupils welcomed the opportunity to talk to a disabled researcher and were fully willing to explore their experience of being a disabled pupil in the school. They reported issues around transition to the secondary school with the resourced provision, feeling ‘forced away’ from their local community and from friendships established in their primary schools. They commented on bullying in the school and feelings of being perceived as ‘different’, as lesser human beings. Most of the children did not take on board the descriptor of ‘disabled’ for themselves, talking instead about their impairments, which they did not see as important to their sense of identity of self. Conclusions stressed the need for teachers and policy makers to listen and respond to pupils’ voice, taking into account individual needs, and engaging in joint problem solving with pupils at both an individual and systemic level.

Intersectionality is a much-debated concept within gender and race studies, but there are few empirical studies that operationalise the concept in examining work organisations and occupational careers. This thesis applies an intersectional analysis to a study of the UK construction and transport sectors exploring how gender, sexuality and occupational class shape women’s work experiences. Sexuality is one of the least explored intersections, in particular its interaction with class; additionally the thesis addresses gaps in research evidence concerning the experience of women in non-professional occupations in construction and transport. In seeking to avoid prioritising either structure or agency, the research employs a multilevel framework (Layder, 1993) that addresses several dimensions of women’s experience of male-dominated work: the current policy context; women’s choices and identifications in relation to traditionally male occupations; gendered, sexualised and classed workplace interactions; participation in separate support networks and trade union structures; and the interaction of domestic circumstances with work participation. The multi-strategy qualitative methodology includes 50 interviews with key experts and heterosexual and lesbian women working in professional/managerial and nonprofessional occupations in the construction and transport sectors, plus two focus groups with women workers in construction and observation of events to raise awareness of non-traditional work. This intersectional approach permits consideration of both advantage and disadvantage and questions cumulative conceptions that presume, for example, that gender and sexuality compound to disadvantage lesbians at work. The contribution of this thesis is to reveal the circumstances in which sexuality, occupational class or gender is most salient in shaping work identity or experience, together with the ways they interact. Thus sexualised workplace interactions could at times be avoided by open lesbians, but all women were at risk of sexual or homophobic harassment, although it was more prevalent in the workplaces of non-professional women. Interviewees also highlighted benefits of male-dominated occupations, including increased gendered self-confidence from doing ‘men’s work’, and material pay advantages, particularly for nonprofessionals, which in some cases produced a shift in the domestic division of labour within households.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and attentional difficulties. Originally thought to be a condition of childhood, ADHD has now been recognised in adults. One of the main theoretical explanations of ADHD is related to deficits in Executive Functioning (EF). The state of current knowledge regarding the relationship between EF and ADHD was reviewed. Findings suggest that adults with ADHD are likely to exhibit deficits in EF mainly related to response inhibition, set-shifting or working memory. Deficits in EF as shown on neuropsychological tests may help to identify people who are at risk of under achieving in various life domains such as education or occupation. Tests of EF which are more ecologically valid may be more sensitive to EF dysfunction than traditional measures. The experience of having adult ADHD and preferences for support were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four super- ordinate themes emerged from five interviews: ‘Process of adapting to ADHD’, ‘Social Appraisal’, ‘Self-regulation’ and ‘Coping’. Participants described an adjustment process which impacted on their identity and the impact on self-perception was evident. ADHD was not understood well by others and some participants experienced stigma and bullying. A range of coping strategies were identified and clinical implications and limitations of the study were discussed. Finally, a commentary and reflexive analysis of the research process was offered and factors influential to the research were discussed.