Analysis of The CDC's Webpage on ADHD

Analysis of the Centers for Disease Control’s Webpage: What is ADHD?

Dianna Robertson

Grand Canyon University

ENG-105-0504

Bob Staples

December 1st, 2021

Analysis of the Centers for Disease Control’s Webpage: What is ADHD?

ADHD And Why The CDC Would Create A Webpage About It

The Center for Disease Control is one of the major components of the Department of Health and Human Services whose job is to inform the public about any threats to their health, safety, or security, foreign or within our borders, to support its communities and citizens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (2021), as a common neurodevelopmental disorder, often presented in childhood, that is categorized trouble paying attention, impulsive behaviors, and being overly active. To understand the effectiveness of the CDC’s webpage on ADHD, it is necessary to first understand the 3 types of rhetoric, pathos, ethos, and logos. Ethos refers to the credibility of the author, pathos is the emotional appeal, and logos is the appeal to logic (Bernanke, 2010). When using these methods to analyze the CDC’s webpage it is important to evaluate if the CDC is a credible source for information pertaining to ADHD. What emotional appeals are made though the webpage to the audience. As well as analyze the facts they have presented about ADHD and how they have used them to inform the reader. The CDC’s webpage on ADHD successfully introduces the public to ADHD by implementing the 3 types of rhetoric to analyze the CDC’s credibility, the emotional connection made to the readers, and the facts they present.

Credibility

Given that Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is not a disease, but a psychiatric disorder, the CDC is not the leading source for information regarding ADHD. The American Psychiatric Association would be the appropriate source for information pertaining to ADHD and other psychiatric disorders. However, the CDC has a long-standing authority within the United

States and is a credible source of basic information for those seeking to understanding ADHD. A poll conducted from February to March of 2021, found that 52% of Americans trust the CDC and only 37% of Americans trust other health agencies (Simmons-Duffin, 2021).

Emotional Appeal

When reading the CDC’s webpage, it can be concluded that the CDC chose to appeal to the public from a less emotional standpoint. They did address the mood disorders often presented alongside ADHD and the effects they can have on the overall mental health of those that have the disorder. The stigmas that surround ADHD led many to see it as an insignificant disorder, that is over diagnosed. This is due to the media’s presentation of ADHD. Also, with the stigmas that surround the medications used to treat ADHD, especially the stimulant medications, many do not seek treatment. Using visual aids and graphic design concepts; the CDC webpage on ADHD portrays the significance of the disorder, its treatment, sets an informational tone, and reassures the parents who may be seeking information about ADHD. According to Gremillion, (2019), cool colors, such as purple are calming and soothing, but can be used to express sadness. So, the purple color used for the heading of the webpage portrays a calm mood. The bold font used for the headings makes the webpage easy to navigate, relieving the anxiety for those looking for specific information and gives the reader a sense that the information is important. The images used include pictures of children in distress, children playing, and of a doctor explain something to the parent/ children. This portrays the tone that ADHD is a significant disorder, with an impact on a child’s well-being, but that with treatment they can live full lives.

Logical Appeal

Furthermore, the CDC did a good job at presenting the facts about ADHD in a clear and precise manner. Their webpage was easy to navigate. It presented the symptoms of ADHD in a way that the audience can understand. It presented the types of ADHD and how the symptoms vary. The American Psychiatric Association, (2017) lists the types of ADHD as inattentive type, hyperactive/impulsive type, and the combined type. The APA takes a more in-depth approach to explaining the symptoms presented with each type than the CDC does, but the CDC does present the information effectively for those in search of information that may lead to a diagnosis. Their webpage also lists methods of treatment for ADHD. These methods of treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy for the child, parental training, and medication (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). It also lists the DSM criteria for diagnosis, which ensures the audience has a thorough understanding that ADHD is not a disorder that appears abruptly. The CDC also addresses the management of the symptoms that present within the disorder, and related conditions thoroughly. From a logical standpoint, the CDC has presented their webpage about ADHD well.

Effectiveness of The Webpage

The CDC’s webpage on ADHD effectively provides the public access to information about AHDD by implementing the 3 types of rhetoric ethos, pathos, and logos. Although The American Psychiatric Association would be the proper source for information pertaining to ADHD, the public views the CDC as a reliable source of information. The CDC chose to take an informational approach towards its webpage and used visual aids to portray a sense of importance of treatment, to ensure the well-being of those who are diagnosed with ADHD. The CDC’s appeal to logic was soundproof, stating relevant information for the audience. Overall, the CDC did a good job at presenting ADHD to the public and chose to appeal to the public predominately using ethos and logos, as opposed to pathos.

References

Allison S. Gremillion, (2019). Colors and emotions: how colors make you feel. https://99designs.com/blog/tips/how-color-impacts-emotions-and-behaviors/

American Psychiatric Association, (2017). What is ADHD? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd

Ben Bernanke, (2010). The Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos Definition and Examples, https://pathosethoslogos.com/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2021). About CDC 24-7, https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/cio.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html.

Selena Simmons-Duffin, (2021). Poll Finds Public Health Has A Trust Problem https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996331692/poll-finds-public-health-has-a-trust-problem