Objective: Maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has not been investigated in relation to parenting skills in adolescent mothers. This study investigated whether maternal inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms early in pregnancy predict poorer parenting skills and infant maltreatment during the first year of life in adolescent mothers living in adverse environmental conditions. Methods: The participants in this study were 80 adolescent mothers aged 14-19 years and their babies who were taking part in a randomized controlled trial on the effects of a home-visiting program on infant development. Symptoms of maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were assessed in the first trimester of pregnancy. Parenting skills (maternal competence, attachment to the baby, home environment) and child maltreatment were assessed when the infants were aged 6 and 12 months. Multilevel linear regression models were constructed to test the extent to which prenatal maternal inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms predicted these parenting variables during the first year of the infant’s life. Results: Prenatal inattention symptoms significantly predicted lower maternal competence and attachment, a poorer home environment, and greater maltreatment during the first year of life. Hyperactivity did not significantly predict parenting skills or maltreatment. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that inattention symptoms may interfere with parenting abilities in adolescent mothers and should be considered in early intervention programs.

Objective: To investigate if maternal inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms early on pregnancy predict worse parenting during the first year of life. Methods: Eighty adolescents 14-19 years of age and their babies were included in a randomized controlled study designed to test the effect of a home-visiting program to improve child development. Young mothers were assessed during pregnancy and at 6 and 12 months for several outcomes. Multilevel linear regression for longitudinal data was conducted to test the effect of ADHD symptoms over four dimensions of parenting: maternal sense of competence, attachment to the child, organization of home environment and childhood maltreatment. The role of inattention and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were investigated separately, taking into account the effect of maternal depressive symptoms, alcohol and marijuana use, child temperament, and the effect of the intervention. Results: Inattentive symptoms early in pregnancy predicted worse maternal sense of competence, more insecure attachment, worse organization of the home environment, and higher frequency of childhood maltreatment during the first year of life regardless of the effect of maternal depressive symptoms, alcohol and marijuana use, and child's temperament. Hyperactivity symptoms were not predictive of worse parenting. Conclusion: Assessment of maternal ADHD symptoms is an important goal of early intervention programs. Descriptors: Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Mother-child relations; Parenting; Social vulnerability.