The Impact of Children's ADHD Sympton Severity and Maternal Characteristics on Mothers’ Psychosocial Functioning.

Abstract

A growing body of research has shown that childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is linked with psychosocial difficulties in parents, specifically in mothers who tend to be heavily involved in the day-to-day care-giving of their child. The present study aimed firstly to replicate the finding that maternal psychosocial difficulties are greater in mothers of children with ADHD than in mothers of typically developing children. Secondly, the study aimed to examine the relation amongst maternal characteristics, maternal psychosocial functioning, and child ADHD symptom severity in order to identify factors associated with increased vulnerability to psychosocial difficulties. Thirdly, we investigated the moderating effect of maternal personality, parenting practice, and coping on the on the relationship between child ADHD symptom severity and maternal psychosocial functioning (e.g., depression, anxiety, and stress). Participants were 60 mothers and their children aged 6 to 12 years old (28 ADHD, 32 controls). Measures of maternal personality, parenting practice, coping style, and psychosocial functioning were obtained using standardised questionnaires. Independent samples t-tests identified that mothers of children with ADHD experienced higher levels of psychosocial difficulties than mothers of typically developing children. One tailed bivariate correlations showed that various maternal characteristics, psychosocial functioning factors, and child ADHD symptoms were inter-related. Multiple regression analyses revealed moderating effects of neuroticism, agreeableness, extroversion, engaged parenting, and coping on the relationship between child ADHD symptom severity and maternal psychosocial functioning. Taken together, the results suggest that mothers of children with ADHD are adversely affected in terms of their psychological health. Findings are discussed in terms of how they may supplement current psychological interventions.