Does maternal ADHD reduce the effectiveness of parent training for preschool children's ADHD?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms on the effectiveness of a parent training (PT) program for preschool ADHD.


METHODS
Eighty-three 3-year-old children with ADHD and their mothers selected from two community cohorts living in Hampshire, England (1992-93 and 1995-96, respectively), completed an 8-week PT program. ADHD symptoms and a number of other parent and child factors, including adult ADHD symptoms, were measured prior to the start of treatment (week 1: T1), immediately after treatment (week 8: T2), and at 15 weeks follow-up (week 23: T3).


RESULTS
Mothers were divided into three groups on the basis of their scores (T1) on the Adult AD/HD Rating Scale (high, medium, low). Children of mothers in the high-ADHD group displayed no improvement after PT, whereas the levels of ADHD symptoms of the children of mothers in either the medium or low ADHD groups reduced substantially (F(4,60) = 3.13, p < .05). This association persisted after other child and maternal factors were controlled for in multiple regression analyses (beta > .30, p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
High levels of maternal ADHD symptoms limit the improvement shown by children with ADHD after a program of PT. This effect was unrelated to other aspects of maternal mental health and child functioning. The treatment of parental ADHD may be a prerequisite for the success of psychosocial interventions for childhood ADHD.
Sonuga-Barke
Edmund J S
EJ
Centre for Research Into Psychological Development, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, England.
Daley
David
D
Thompson
Margaret
M
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome