Health Literacy and Parenting Stress Among Iranian Parents of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that, in addition to its impact on children, may lead their parents to experience various psychological disorders, particularly Parenting Stress (PS). The prevalence and severity of PS may be correlated with various factors, particularly parents' level of Health Literacy (HL). Objectives: Given the scarcity of studies in the field of children with ADHD and their controversial results, alongside the significance of ADHD-related PS among their parents, the aim of the current study was to determine the levels of PS, HL, and the PS-HL correlation among parents of children with ADHD. Methods: In this cross-sectional and descriptive-correlational study, a total of 70 parents of children with ADHD participated based on inclusion criteria and convenience sampling. Their PS and HL were investigated using the "Socio-Demographic Information Questionnaire (SDIQ)," "Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition (PSI-4)," and "Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA)." The gathered data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: The disparity in the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants was considerable. The PS among parents of children with ADHD ranged from “moderate to high” (x̄ = 287.51 ± 107.68, P < 0.05), and their HL ranged from “borderline to sufficient” (x̄ = 73.76 ± 14.02, P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant (P = 0.02) but not very strong inverse correlation (- 0.268) between PS and HL among these parents. The correlations obtained between "demographic characteristics with PS and HL" were varied. Conclusions: Based on the results, Iranian parents of children with ADHD demonstrated a “relatively sufficient” level of HL and a “considerable” level of PS. There was a significant, yet not very strong inverse correlation observed between PS and HL among the participants. However, it is important to acknowledge that the obtained frequency, severity, and correlation of these variables were influenced by various demographic inequalities among the participants.