Self-efficacy and self-esteem in parents of ADHD children

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the development of two self constructs (self-efficacy and self-esteem) in parents of ADHD children. While some literature data suggest, in this respect, that these constructs may be affected by the suffering of the child, other data claim an opposite effect, via the urge of these parents to develop new coping strategies. Methods: The design was cross-sectional. The study sample comprised 100 parents of ADHD children and 62 parents of normally developed children. All parents were assessed by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire and the Global Self-Efficacy Scale. Several additional socio-demographic data were collected (gender, family structure, academic studies). All ADHD and ADHD-like symptoms in children were collected. Score differences between groups were performed by t test. A linear regression model was estimated in order to adjust for covariates. Results: The mean age for parents of ADHD children was 38.5 years (SD = 5.4, range 25-52) and for parents of normally developed children 39.0 years (SD = 5.6, range 26-50). While the socio-demographic characteristics of the two groups were similar, self-efficacy and self-esteem differed (t = 4.717, p < .01 and t = 4.884, p < .01, respectively), with much lower values in the parents of ADHD children. The linear regression model showed a significant correlation between self-esteem and self-efficacy scores; this correlation was significant also with ADHD children's symptoms (F^sub 2,159^ = 14.335, p < .001). The amount of symptoms' variance accounted for by self-esteem and self-efficacy was 15.3%. Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between self-esteem and self-efficacy in parents of ADHD children and the children's symptoms. This raises the possibility of a causal relationship, in the sense that these symptoms could be maintained or amplified by the lack of adjustment in parents. This finding could have implications for the personalization of treatment in ADHD children.