Parent perceived control and stress in families of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder

This study will deal with the construct of perceived control in difficult childrearing interactions with parents of ADHD children. It has been hypothesized that a) these parents develop low self-control schemata as result of a transactional history of failure interactions with their children more often than parents of non-problem children, and b) low perceived control beliefs are associated with increased parental stress and punitive/inconsistent discipline practices. Results show significant differences between families as a function of children’s clinical condition, with higher stress levels and lower perceived control in parents of ADHD children, but they do not support the influence of low-power attribution style on increased stress both in ADHD and non-clinical families. Finally, the influence of perceived control on parenting practices changes as a function of children’s clinical condition with an increment of inconsistent and punitive parenting in association with low perceived control only for ADHD parents. An unexpected result is the higher level of positive parenting in ADHD parents if compared to non-clinical ones who, as initially assumed, report more affection in association with high perceived control attributions. Implications for assessing perceived control beliefs in families of children with behavioral disorders, particularly for the treatment of the ADHD, are discussed.