title: How parents make decisions to use medication to treat their child's ADHD: a grounded theory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite evidence of efficacy, a substantial percentage of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) either do not begin medication prescribed for their core symptoms or fail to continue treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to understand (a) how parents decide to use medication to treat their child's ADHD and (b) the factors that influence their adherence to medication over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Grounded theory guided data collection and analysis. Sixteen semistructured interviews with parents (13 mothers, 3 fathers) of children with ADHD were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The substantive theory developed from the data demonstrates that in seeking to help their child and restore a sense of stability around family life, parents engage in a process of "doing what helps most" in deciding to use medication to treat their child's ADHD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions to support and guide parents throughout the decisional process are critical to meet the needs of families of children with ADHD.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4310, USA. ecormier@fsu.edu
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cormier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants