MULTIDIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF SELF-ESTEEM IN A GROUP OF CHILDREN WITH ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by low levels of internalizing symptoms and self-efficacy which causes low self-esteem, while externalizing behaviours appear to be related to high levels of stress in the parents. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of ADHD on self-esteem and parental stress. A multidimensional assessment of self-esteem was performed using the MSCS (Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale) in a group of 12 male patients with ADHD (age range 9-11 years). Parental stress was investigated using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). These results were compared with a group of 12 healthy children (age 9-11 years), with both parametric statistics and correlation statistics. The comparison between ADHD children and control subjects, performed by a calculation to rank with the Mann-Whitney, showed a high significance in two dimensional components of self-esteem: social relationships (Z -2.028 p 0.045) and academic success (Z - 2.166 p 0.028). The total self-esteem score differed significantly between the two groups (Z -2.227 p 0.024). Parental stress increaseed with the level of the child‟s oppositional symptoms (p 0.790) but it did not correlate with the other scores (cognitive problems / inattention p 0.381); hyperactivity p 0.414; ADHD index p 0.324). The present study shows that self-esteem is impaired among children with ADHD.