Depression and anxiety levels and coping strategies used by mothers of children with ADHD: A preliminary study

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequent psychiatric disorders of childhood, characterized by an increased risk for the development of parent-child relationship problems. The aim of this study is to compare the depression and anxiety levels and coping skills used by the mothers of children with ADHD with healthy controls. Methods: The research included 36 children between 7-12 years and their mothers who applied to the Gulhane Military Medical Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic the COPE, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: Of 30 subjects with consecutively and diagnosed as having ADHD according to the DSM-IV criteria. The mothers were evaluated with ADHD who accepted to participate to the study, %16.7 (n=5) were diagnosed as 'inattentive subtype', %13.3 (n=4) were diagnosed as 'hyperactivity impulsivity subtype' and %70.0 (n=21) were diagnosed as 'combined subtype' ADHD. The Beck depression and anxiety scores of the mothers' of the study sample were significantly higher than healthy controls. The suppression of competing activities, focusing on and venting of emotions and denial subscales' scores of COPE and the total scores of dysfunctional coping strategies in COPE of study sample were significantly higher than healthy controls. There were no differences between the study and control groups with respect to child's age, gender, mother's age, and the education period. Conclusions: It should be remembered that the depressive and anxious complaints of the mothers' of the study sample might be higher than the controls. To know which coping skills are being used by the mothers in study sample points out the necessary aspects that should be supported by clinicians in psychiatric interview? (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2008; 9:217-223)