Relations between executive function difficulties in children with ADHD, parenting stress, and parenting behaviors in Chinese parents

Abstract

Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience higher level of parenting stress relative to parents of typically developing children. Despite the reported associations between ADHD and executive function difficulties (EFD; e.g., in inhibition, working memory, planning, shifting, and emotional control), there is very limited research investigating the relations between EFD and parenting stress among caregivers raising children with ADHD. This study examined the associations between EFD, parenting stress, and parenting behaviors. Participants were 169 Chinese parents (28 fathers and 141 mothers) of children aged 6-10 (M=8.02, SD=1.14) with ADHD (133 boys and 36 girls). Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed that EFD measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-2) significantly predicted parenting stress over and above the influence of children’s ADHD symptoms on parenting stress (∆R2=.09, F[3,164]=6.94, p<.001). Among the indexes and subscales of BRIEF-2, the Cognitive Regulation Index and the Initiate subscale were the strongest predictors of parenting stress. Mediation analyses indicated that parenting stress mediated the relations between EFD and parenting behaviors (significant indirect effects of EFD on: positive parenting=-.13; poor monitoring=.23; inconsistent discipline=.23; corporal punishment=.24). These findings have important implications for the design of interventions for children with ADHD and their parents.