Experience of stress in parents of children with ADHD: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Qualitative research aimed at understanding the stress of parents of children with ADHD is limited and few interventions have been designed to directly target their stress. The study aim was to explore the stress of parents of children with ADHD using qualitative methodology.

Methods: Thirteen parents of children with ADHD participated in two focus groups. Open-ended questions explored parents’ experiences of stress. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis. Parents also completed the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form.

Results: Four primary themes were identified: The child’s behaviour feels like a “wrecking ball”; Coping with the “war at home”; A divided family: “relationships don’t survive”; and Craving support: “it’s goddamn hard work”. Five of eleven participants who completed the PSI-SF scored in the clinically significant range indicating levels of stress that require professional support.

Conclusions: Parents attribute their high stress to their children’s behaviour, unmet needs for support, and social stigma. Parents request support to enable them to cope and appear to represent a clinical population who require mental health care and support themselves. Future interventions directly targeting the stress of parents of children with ADHD may provide wide-ranging benefits for their children and families.

KEYWORDS:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• ADHD
• parenting
• stress
• qualitative

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the parents for their participation in this study.

Authors’ contributions

SL, ES, BP, BG, NR, JM and SE contributed to the study design. SL, BP, BG, and SE performed the data acquisition, data analysis, and the data-interpretation. SL, ES, BP, BG, NR, JM and SE participated in the writing of the manuscript. SL, ES, BP, BG, NR, JM and SE read and approved the final manuscript.

Availability of data and materials

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to them containing information that could compromise research participant privacy.

Consent for publication

Consent for publication was obtained in written form from all participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by Deakin University’s Human Research Ethics Committee, Melbourne. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by an internal faculty grant at Deakin University awarded to SE and ES. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Notes on contributors

Sophie Leitch

Sophie Leitch is a Doctor of Psychology (clinical) student in the School of Psychology, Deakin University. Her research interests include interventions that lead to improved family functioning and wellbeing.

Emma Sciberras

Emma Sciberras is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, Deakin University and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. ES leads a research program focused on understanding developmental trajectories for children with ADHD and developing interventions that can make practical differences to the lives of children with ADHD.

Brittany Post

Brittany Post is enrolled in the Doctor of Psychology (clinical) program at William James College. Her research interests include mental health programs for families and prevention-focused mental health programs.

Bibi Gerner

Bibi Gerner is a Research Fellow at the Deakin Child Study Centre in the School of Psychology, Deakin University. Her research interests include interventions that lead to improved wellbeing for children and their parents.

Nicole Rinehart

Nicole Rinehart is a Professor in Clinical Psychology at Deakin University, and Director of the Deakin Child Study Centre. NR is a consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Melbourne Children’s Clinic.

Jan M. Nicholson

Jan M. Nicholson is the Inaugural Roberta Holmes Professor and Director of the Judith Lumley Centre at La Trobe University. She has a background in psychology and public health. JN leads the Centre’s Transition to Contemporary Research Program which examines the challenges facing Australian parents across the lifecourse, and trials population-based approaches to promoting health adjustment in mothers, fathers and children.

Subhadra Evans

Subhadra Evans is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Deakin University. She researches mind-body interventions for parent and child wellbeing.