Abstract
Although Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is recognised to be a familial and heritable disorder, little is known about the broader family characteristics of having a parent with ADHD problems. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parent ADHD problems, child clinical presentation and family functioning in a sample of children with ADHD. The sample consisted of 570 children with ADHD. Child psychopathology was assessed using a semi-structured diagnostic interview. Questionnaires were used to assess ADHD in the parents (childhood and current symptoms), family environment and mother/father-child relationship. Parental ADHD problems were associated with a range of adverse clinical outcomes in children with no difference in effects for mothers with ADHD problems compared to fathers with ADHD problems. Levels of maternal hostility were higher in families where mothers had ADHD problems, but reduced where fathers had ADHD problems. Parental ADHD problems index higher risk for more severe clinical presentation of ADHD in children and higher levels of family conflict (where there are maternal but not paternal ADHD problems). This study highlights that children with more severe behavioural symptoms are more likely to have a parent with persistent ADHD which has important implications when considering treatment and intervention strategies.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00787-013-0378-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
It is well established that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a familial and highly heritable disorder [36]
73 % of children had a diagnosis of ADHD DSM-IV Combined type, 6 % with DSM-IV inattentive subtype, 8 % with DSM-IV hyperactive-impulsive subtype and 13 % ADHD DSM-III-R
High rates of parental ADHD problems were found in this sample; 29 % of parents met criteria for ‘adult’ definition of ADHD (See Table 1)
Summary
It is well established that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a familial and highly heritable disorder [36]. Previous studies have shown elevated rates of ADHD in the parents of children with ADHD and vice versa [10, 24]. Little is known about the relationship between parent ADHD, the severity of child ADHD and other clinical and family factors. There is increasing recognition of the significance of ADHD symptoms in adults. Adults with ADHD are reported to have much impairment in the form of repeated life failures such as academic underachievement, frequent job changes, marital breakdown and high rates of divorce [4, 41]. The impairments and difficulties faced by a parent with ADHD could impact on family functioning and the presentation of ADHD in their children
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