ADHD Symptoms in Middle Childhood: The Role of Child Attachment and Maternal Emotional Availability in an Inpatient Clinical Sample

Child ADHD symptoms are highly prevalent in middle childhood, alongside impairment in social functioning. The parent-child relationship has been shown to play an important role; however, studies investigating specific facets of the parent-child relationship in ADHD symptomatology in middle childhood...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education psychology and education, 2024-06, Vol.14 (6), p.1572-1584
Main Authors: Augustin, Michaela, Mall, Volker, Licata-Dandel, Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attachment
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Behavior Problems
Caregivers
child ADHD symptoms
child attachment representation
Child Development
child hyperactivity
child inattention
Children & youth
Comorbidity
emotional availability
Hyperactivity
interaction quality
Language Skills
Parenting Styles
Parents & parenting
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Summary:Child ADHD symptoms are highly prevalent in middle childhood, alongside impairment in social functioning. The parent-child relationship has been shown to play an important role; however, studies investigating specific facets of the parent-child relationship in ADHD symptomatology in middle childhood have been neglected. We assumed that higher ADHD symptoms were associated with both (1) lower maternal emotional availability (EA) and (2) lower child attachment security. Moreover, (3) we aimed to explore which specific EA dimensions were associated with ADHD symptoms. In a socio-pediatric clinic in Germany, 71 inpatient mother-child dyads (child age: M = 7.70, SD = 1.06; = 54 boys) were assessed. Clinical data about child ADHD symptoms (Child Behavior Checklist 6-18 subscale "attention deficit/hyperactivity problems"), maternal EA (free play), and child attachment representation (Attachment Story Completion Task, GEV-B) were analyzed cross-sectionally. Controlling for child oppositional behavior and sex, child ADHD symptoms were associated with overall maternal EA, and more specifically non-hostility, but not with child attachment representation. Our results imply that the role of parent-child interaction quality should be considered in the treatment of ADHD. Bidirectional effects cannot be ruled out.
ISSN:2174-8144
2254-9625
2254-9625
DOI:10.3390/ejihpe14060104