Family Environment and Parenting as Predictors of Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Among Palestinian Children

Abstract

The prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among 1,000 Palestinian school-age children was studied. Variables that distinguish ADHD and non-ADHD children including child characteristics, parents' sociodemographics, socioeconomic status, family environment, and parental style of influence were also examined. Results indicated that 34.5% of the children, most of whom were young males, had ADHD symptomatology. Children with ADHD were more likely to display academic underachievement and anti-social behavior, and experience parental psychological maltreatment, gender inequities, anxiety in proximal home environment, harsh disciplining, physical abuse, and lack of parental support compared with children without ADHD. The clinical and policy implications of these findings are discussed.