Date of Submission

2013

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP, Chair, Department of Psychology

First Advisor

Susan Panichelli Mindel, PhD, Chairperson

Second Advisor

Beverly White, PsyD

Third Advisor

Jeanne Lehrer, PhD

Abstract

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic, behavioral control disorder, which is most frequently diagnosed in children. ADHD is traditionally conceptualized as a neurological disorder; however, there are important environmental factors that affect symptom presentation. Parental involvement is a critical factor in virtually every form of treatment for ADHD, yet the specific parenting styles employed by parents of children with ADHD has received little attention. This study sought to address this issue through identifying associations between parenting styles, ADHD symptoms, and homework problems. Participants were recruited from a community sample, using a snowball sampling method. Participants were required to complete three rating scales, which assessed for parenting style, child’s ADHD symptoms, and child’s homework problems. Results indicated that parents who had high scores on the authoritative scale had children with more ADHD Inattentive and ADHD Combined symptoms than did parents who had lower scores on the authoritative scale. Results also indicated that higher scores on the authoritative scale were associated with a greater number of homework problems. These findings indicate that authoritative parenting is not a unitary construct, but that it has various expressions on a continuum of demandingness and responsiveness. Differences in authoritative parenting may contribute to ADHD symptom presence and to homework problems in male children.

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