Adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Mother-adolescent interactions, family beliefs and conflicts, and maternal psychopathology

Abstract

A group of 83 adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were subdivided into those with ADHD alone (n = 27) and those with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ADHD/ODD, n = 56). They were compared to each other and a community control group (n = 77) on measures of family conflicts, family beliefs, maternal adjustment, and observations of mother-adolescent interactions during both a neutral and conflict discussion. Both ADHD groups had more topics on which there was conflict and more angry conflicts at home than control adolescents on parent reports. Only the ADHD/ODD adolescents reported more such conflicts, endorsed more extreme and unreasonable beliefs about their parent-teen relations, and demonstrated greater negative interactions during a neutral discussion than the control teenagers. Similarly, only mothers of the ADHD/ODD teens displayed greater negative interactions during a neutral discussion, more extreme and unreasonable beliefs about their parent-teen relations, greater personal distress, and less satisfaction in their marriages than the mothers in the control group. Most findings for the ADHD only group were between the control group and the group with mixed ADHD/ODD but did not differ from either group. Results imply that it is the combination of ODD symptoms with those of ADHD that is associated with the greater-than-normal conflicts, anger, poor communications, unreasonable beliefs, and negative interactive styles seen in ADHD adolescents. These same characteristics typify their mothers' interactions as well such that both the adolescents' ODD symptoms and maternal psychological distress (hostility) make unique contributions to the degree of conflict and anger in the parent-teen relations of ADHD adolescents.

Conflitos conjugais e familiares e presença de transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) na prole: revisão sistemática

“…Um estudo de Barkley et al (1992) encontrou pior ajustamento marital em pais de adolescentes com TDAH comór-bido com DDO do que nos grupos somente com TDAH e controles. Johnston e Behrenz (1993) demonstraram que casais com crianças portadoras de TDAH que também apresentavam agressividade eram mais negativos quando discutiam entre si do que pais de crianças com TDAH sem agressividade ou do grupo-controle.…”

Attribution processes in parent–adolescent conflict in families of adolescents with and without ADHD.

“…These mothers report many conflict issues in their relationships with their adolescents, indicate that they experience more anger during discussions, and have more negative communication patterns than do parents of comparison adolescents (Barkley, et al, 1992;Barkley et al,1991;Fletcher, et al,1996). Like mothers, fathers of male adolescents with ADHD and comorbid Oppostional Defiant Disorder (ODD) also report more conflict issues, more anger during discussions, and poorer communication patterns than fathers of comparison youth (Edwards et al, 2001).…”

“…Intense conflicts, however, are maladaptive and are associated with poor adolescent (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and parent (Silverberg & Steinberg, 1987) adjustment. Families with an adolescent with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) have high levels of conflict according to adolescents' (Barkley, Anastopoulos, Guevremont, & Fletcher, 1992;Fletcher, Fischer, Barkley, & Smallish, 1996) and mothers' reports (Barkley et al, 1992;Barkley, Fischer, Edelbrock, & Smallish, 1991;Edwards, Barkley, Laneri, Fletcher, & Metevia, 2001;Fletcher et al, 1996;Robin, 1990;Weiss & Hechtman, 1986). It is unclear, however, as to why adolescents with ADHD and their mothers report high levels of conflicts and whether fathers in the family share this view in respect to female youth, as only one study (Edwards et al, 2001) explored father-youth conflict with male adolescents only.…”

“…are concerned about their adolescents' greater degree of behaviour management problems, rebelliousness, conduct problems, and family conflicts compared with adolescents without ADHD (Barkley, et al, 1992;Barkley et al,1991;Edwards et al, 2001;Fletcher et al, 1996;Robin, 1990;Weiss & Hechtman, 1986). These mothers report many conflict issues in their relationships with their adolescents, indicate that they experience more anger during discussions, and have more negative communication patterns than do parents of comparison adolescents (Barkley, et al, 1992;Barkley et al,1991;Fletcher, et al,1996).…”

Investigation of alexithymia, depression and childhood ADHD symptom levels in parents of children with ADHD

“…10 Barkley'in çalışmasında DEHB'li çocukların annelerinde %6 oranında depresyon veya anksiyete bozukluğu olduğu gösterilmiş ve bu durumun çocuğun davranış sorunlarının şiddeti ile ilişkili olduğu bulunmuştur. 11 Bir başka çalışmada hiperaktivitesi olan çocukların annelerinde normal çocuklara göre depresif özelliklerin daha fazla olduğu belirtilmiştir. 12 Literatürde DEHB'li çocukların anne-babalarında DEHB ve majör depresif bozukluk tanılarına ilişkin çalışmaların az olduğu, anne-babalarda aleksitimi ile ilgili çalışma olmadığı görülmüştür.…”