Associations between paternal and maternal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and children’s socioemotional development during early childhood

This study examined associations between paternal, maternal, and dual-parental attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and child socioemotional functioning over the first two years of life, combined and separated by child sex. The sample included mothers (<i>N</i> = 3,207) and fathers (<i>N</i> = 3,211) from a prospective cohort in Canada. Parents completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale within two weeks of childbirth. Children's socioemotional functioning was assessed using the ASQ-SE at 6 months and the BITSEA at 12, 18, and 24 months. Paternal and maternal ADHD symptoms were associated with problems in child socioemotional development in the first two years of life, with significant differences based on parent and child sex. Paternal ADHD symptoms were associated with more socioemotional difficulties in boys (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.13-2.51) and fewer socioemotional difficulties in girls, while maternal ADHD symptoms were associated with more socioemotional problems in girls (aOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.24-3.52) and the entire sample, including both boys and girls, between 12 and 24 months. Dual-parental ADHD symptoms had the largest effect on socioemotional development (OR 4.43, 95% CI 1.14-17.16). Our findings provide evidence that exposure to paternal and maternal ADHD symptoms, especially when both parents exhibit symptoms, is associated with worse socioemotional outcomes during early childhood.