The Relationship Between Mental Health and Coping Strategies in Primary Caregivers of ADHD Patients

Taking care of a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to emotional problems. However, using effective coping strategies positively impact the mental health of caregivers for children with ADHD. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ADHD caregivers’ coping strategies and their mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 84 caregivers of ADHD children. The Coping Response Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire were completed by them. In the caregivers studied, emotion-focused coping’s score was positively correlated with somatic symptoms ( r = .45, p < .001), anxiety and insomnia ( r = .52, p < .001), social dysfunction ( r = .27, p < .05), and depression ( r = .49, p < .001). Similarly, physical inhibition or somatization of problem’s score was positively correlated with somatic symptoms ( r = .66, p < .001), anxiety and insomnia ( r = .54, p < .001), social dysfunction ( r = .32, p < .01), and depression ( r = .36, p < .001). Our findings indicate that ineffective coping strategies can potentially increase mental health problems in caregivers of children with ADHD.