title: Overcoming barriers to effective early parenting interventions for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): parent and practitioner views.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The importance of early intervention approaches for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been increasingly acknowledged. Parenting programmes (PPs) are recommended for use with preschool children with ADHD. However, low 'take-up' and high 'drop-out' rates compromise the effectiveness of such programmes within the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study examined the views of 25 parents and 18 practitioners regarding currently available PPs for preschool children with ADHD-type problems in the UK. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to identify both barriers and facilitators associated with programme access, programme effectiveness, and continued engagement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many of the themes mirrored previous accounts relating to generic PPs for disruptive behaviour problems. There were also a number of ADHD-specific themes. Enhancing parental motivation to change parenting practice and providing an intervention that addresses the parents' own needs (e.g. in relation to self-confidence, depression or parental ADHD), in addition to those of the child, were considered of particular importance. Comparisons between the views of parents and practitioners highlighted a need to increase awareness of parental psychological barriers among practitioners and for better programme advertising generally. Clinical implications and specific recommendations drawn from these findings are discussed and presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Disorders of Impulse and Attention, Developmental Brain-Behaviour Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koerting
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Latter
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sonuga-Barke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; early intervention; hard-to-reach; parenting programme; qualitative interviews; treatment barriers