Group Support for Parents of ADHD Children: An Introduction

The problem addressed in this study is the need for group support to assist parents of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children. Dealing with ADHD children is a long and difficult process and parents face emotional responses to their child's behavior that may hinder treatment of the child as well as add to the disruption of the family (Hoza, Owens, Pelham, & Swanson, 2000). Research has noted the importance of providing education and support to these parents. Parental knowledge may be linked to barriers to treatment of ADHD and treatment outcomes, and education and support are required to help parents feel more confident and competent to deal with their children (Smith, 2002). More information regarding effects of group support is needed.

ADHD is associated with long-term and short-term correlates that are linked to parent attitudes and actions (Klassen, Miller, & Fine, 2004; Lee, Mulsow, & Reifman, 2003; Lesesne, Visser, & White, 2003). For example, long-term correlates include adolescent and adult ADHD and behavioral disorders, alcohol and substance use, criminal behavior, and antisocial personality (Lee, et al., 2003). Short-term correlates include poor quality of life and maternal mental illness (Klassen, et al., 2004; Lesesne, et al., 2003). Management of ADHD includes parent education and support, which are needed to negate these negative outcomes of ADHD. In

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es demonstrated that there was an association between ADHD in children and activity-limiting depression, anxiety, or emotion problems in mothers. Gender, age, and race of child, household income, and type of family structure were held constant. Findings also showed that mothers of ADHD children were 13 times more likely to have sought mental health care about their children in the past year. Maternal mental health was significantly associated with ADHD children, with a 4-fold increase of ADHD in children of mothers with mental health conditions. Additional discoveries were that when comparing ADHD and non-ADHD groups, there were significant differences in family and maternal characteristics with the ADHD group having: fewer marriages and greater numbers of single-parent households. Since conclusions were based on cross-sectional data, which cannot lead to causality inferences, findings are only implied and temporal relationships cannot be confirmed. Psychosocial Correlates of ADHD Merrell and Boelter (2001) studied the relationship between social behavior and ADHD in children and youth. These authors noted that ADHD children have characteristics that make it problematic to respond to others in social situations in an

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