Parent–child interactive stress in Chinese families with children who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

The situations of Chinese parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other related comorbidities are under-explored in the related literature. As such, this study explores the current state of parent–child interactive stress in these families and provides recommendations for future measures to address the problem of parent–child interactive stress by using a model in Mash and Johnston (Determinants of parenting stress: illustrations from families of hyperactive children and families of physically abused children. J Clin Child Psychol 19(4):313–328, 1990). The research questions are: (1) What are the characteristics and symptoms of Chinese children with ADHD? (2) What are the characteristics of Chinese parents with children who have ADHD? (3) What are the environmental factors, such as sociocultural conditions, social support systems, and school environment, that affect children with ADHD and their parents? (4) What is the current state of parent–child interactive stress in these families and what are the future measures that can be used to address the problem of parent–child interactive stress? Eighteen parents of children who are formally diagnosed with ADHD are interviewed, and the data are analyzed by using a thematic analysis. The findings show that there are four factors that cause parental stress, namely individual, family, social–cultural, and school factors. The findings extend ways of thinking of how parental stress, power, and control issues in the school environment are socially and culturally constructed, and provide social workers with new perspectives on ways to support these families. It is argued in the discussion section of this paper that the parent–child stress of families with children who have ADHD should be investigated within the parameters of the current social service system and socio-cultural context in China.