Correlates of Parental Discipline in ADHD Children

The present study was designed to examine the parenting of an ADHD child in several important ways. First, it was hypothesized that mothers of ADHD children would report employing harsher, more restrictive disciplinary practices and that more negative interaction patterns, specifically resembling the coercive pattern described by Patterson (1982) would be evident in mother/ADHD child dyads. Second, the present study sought to identify the determinants of disciplinary practices and negative interaction patterns that are believed to exist in mother/ADHD child dyads. It was hypothesized that greater parental stress, difficult child temperament, and less ability to regulate self-control will be positively related to harsh disciplinary practices and coercive interactions. Finally, it was hypothesized that harsh disciplinary practices and coercive interactions would be positively related to behavior problems at home. Subjects were 48 mother/son dyads. There were 20 mother/ADHD child dyads, and 28 mother/non-ADHD son dyads. All of the boys were 7 to 12 years of age. Criteria for participation included: 1) ADHD children were on medication to control attention difficulties; and 2) children did not have any significant learning, emotional, or sensory impairment. Mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist, the Parenting Stress Index, the Parenting Dimensions Inventory, the Self-Control Rating Scale, and the Colorado Childhood Temperament Inventory. Mothers also were interviewed about recent disciplinary encounters with their children, and participated in a videotaped interaction with their children. Across several different methods of assessment, mothers of ADHD sons exhibited a pattern consistent with the coercive pattern described by Patterson (1982). More negative interaction patterns and more restrictive, coercive disciplinary practices were found among mothers of ADHD sons than mothers of non-ADHD sons. Difficult child temperament, lower child self-control, and greater parenting stress were correlated with harsh disciplinary practices and negative interactions. Harsh disciplinary practices and negative mother/child interaction patterns predicted greater internalizing and externalizing behaviors in children.