The Parenting and Family Functioning of Children with Hyperactivity

Abstract

This study examined the parenting and family life correlates of childhood hyperactivity in a community sample of London school children. Twenty-eight boys with pervasive hyperactivity were compared to 30 classroom control children on a range of parenting and family functioning measures. Results showed that poor parent coping and the use of aggressive discipline methods were significantly associated with hyperactivity after adjusting for the effects of conduct disorder and parent mental health. The best parenting predictor of hyperactivity was disciplinary aggression. Findings suggest that the quality of parenting provided for hyperactive children may contribute to their behavioural difficulties, and highlights the need to examine more closely the role of parenting attitudes and behaviour in shaping the course, prognosis, and treatment outcomes for children with hyperactivity.

ADHD Correlates, Comorbidity, and Impairment in Community and Treated Samples of Children and Adolescents

“…Finally, the correlates of ADHD in these Latino/Hispanic populations are in general comparable to those reported in previous research (Bird et al 1989;1988;Fischer 1990;Scahill et al 1999;Szatmari et al 1989;Woodward et al 1998). An intriguing exception is grade failure which was not positively associated with ADHD in either sample.…”

“…The presence of a lower comorbidity rate for these two disorders is theoretically important since it points out to how socio-cultural variables could serve as protective factors for the development of CD, and as a result, the comorbidity of ADHD with this disorder. Further research work is needed in this area using longitudinal designs given the importance of its theoretical and clinical implications.Finally, the correlates of ADHD in these Latino/Hispanic populations are in general comparable to those reported in previous research (Bird et al 1989;1988;Fischer 1990;Scahill et al 1999;Szatmari et al 1989;Woodward et al 1998). An intriguing exception is grade failure which was not positively associated with ADHD in either sample.…”

“…Among family variables, negative parentchild relationship, parental negative discipline, and low levels of social support have also been identified as correlates of ADHD in treatment (Barkley et al 1991;Fischer 1990) and community samples (Keown and Woodward 2002;Woodward et al 1998). …”

ADHD: strategies to unravel its genetic architecture

“…Several environmental risks for ADHD have been identified and these are all good candidates for moderation of genetic influences. These environmental risks can be grouped into three categories: 1) pre-and perinatal influences, such as prematurity, low birth weight, pregnancy and birth complications (Hille et al, 2001;Botting et al, 1997;Mick et al, 2002a, b), and mother's use of alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy (Milberger et al, 1996); 2) parental and family factors such as critical expressed emotion versus expressed warmth, inconsistent parenting, parental divorce, family conflict and early institutional rearing (Rutter et al, 2001;Woodward et al, 1998); and 3) acquired neurobiological risks such as closed head trauma and exposure to lead (Thomson et al, 1989;Max et al, 2004;Schachar et al, 2004).…”

“…Careful characterization of parent-child relationships of hyperactive children derived from community studies points to the importance of abnormalities of affective tone (especially hostile expressed emotion, HEE) and impairment of parental coping skills (Taylor et al, 1991;Woodward et al, 1998). HHE was seen in 33% of mothers of hyperactive children and in 6% of healthy controls.…”