PATERNAL ADHD, PARENTING, AND CHILD CONDUCT PROBLEMS: POTENTIAL MECHANISMS.

Abstract

Parental factors, specifically psychopathology and parenting, robustly predict negative developmental outcomes among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Indeed, emergent findings have linked maternal ADHD symptoms both with sub-optimal parenting and child conduct problems within families of children with ADHD. Despite considerable research supporting the important and unique contributions of fathers to their children's development, the role of fathers within families of children with ADHD has seldom been examined. In particular, little research has been conducted with regard to paternal ADHD symptoms and parenting, despite clear evidence for an association between maternal ADHD symptoms and maladaptive parenting. The current study examined psychopathology and parenting behavior among a sample of fathers (N=102) and their 5-12 year-old children with previously-diagnosed ADHD. Results indicated that paternal antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) symptoms (rather than ADHD symptoms) were robustly associated with child conduct problems, and paternal negative parenting mediated this relationship. Future research using prospective longitudinal designs should examine multiple forms of psychopathology and parenting behavior among fathers of children with ADHD in order to identify potential risk factors and associated mechanisms for the development of child conduct problems.