title: Quality of life, psychological characteristics, and adjustment in parents of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
abstract: This study investigated quality of life and adjustment mechanisms in parents of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
  
  
  
  Ninety parents of children with ADHD completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and self-assessment scales to measure their perceived stress, social support, sense of control, coping strategies and quality of life.
  
  
  
  ADHD in children negatively affected parents' quality of life, especially their psychological well-being and personal fulfillment. Family and couple relationships, as well as daily life activities, were also affected. The severity of the disorder, perceiving the situation as a threat or a loss, feeling guilty and holding on to irrational beliefs were related to emotion-focused coping strategies and to a poorer quality of life. Furthermore, hyperactivity index and stress ratings relative to perceiving the situation as a threat or a loss, and adopting emotion-focused coping strategies, predicted poorer quality of life. In contrast, perceiving the situation as challenging was related to a greater sense of control and personal fulfillment. Moreover, perceiving the situation as challenging and adopting problem-focused coping strategies predicted better quality of life.
  
  
  
  The findings highlight the negative effects of ADHD on parent psychological adjustment and underline the need to recommend training programs that improve parenting skills, parents' perceptions concerning their child's behavior disorder and parental functioning.
authors: Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé (LPPS, EA 4057), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Descartes - Sorbonne Paris Cité, 71 avenue Edouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France. emilie.cappe@parisdescartes.fr.
authors: Emilie
authors: 0000-0002-4792-8653
authors: E
authors: Cappe
authors: Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Familles d'Enfants présentant un Trouble du Spectre de l'Autisme, Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC, H2X 3P2, Canada.
authors: Mélanie
authors: M
authors: Bolduc
authors: Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé (LPPS, EA 4057), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Descartes - Sorbonne Paris Cité, 71 avenue Edouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
authors: Marie-Caroline
authors: MC
authors: Rougé
authors: Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48 boulevard Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.
authors: Marie-Claude
authors: MC
authors: Saiag
authors: Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48 boulevard Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Delorme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; Parent; Perceived stress; Psychological adjustment; Quality of life