This study purposed to apply existing parent education programs, which were adapted and complemented for this study, to the parents of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder) and verify the effects. As for research questions to ...
This study purposed to apply existing parent education programs, which were adapted and complemented for this study, to the parents of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder) and verify the effects. As for research questions to investigate difference in rearing attitude between ordinary children's mothers and ADHD children's and to verify the effects of parent education, the author attempted to answer the question of, first, whether there are positive changes in rearing attitude in ADHD children's mothers who attended parent education, second, whether there are changes in the children's home behavior and, third, whether there are changes in the children's school behavior.
The subjects of this study were 10 children who visited the juvenile counseling center of U City and Y private counseling center doubting ADHD and were classified as ADHD based on Conners Parents Rating Scale and DSM-IV ADHD Scale, and additional 10 ordinary children and their parents. The 10 ADHD children were divided into a participating group of 5 children to receive parent education and a control group of the other 5 children. Parent education was executed 10 sessions for 6 weeks and a pre-test and a post test were conducted. This study designed the experiment adopting one between-one within subjects design, and compared rearing attitude between ordinary children's parents and ADHD children's and children's behavior between before and after parent education through MBRI, K-CBCL, HSQ and class teachers' ACTeRS.
The conclusions of this study are as follows.
First, with regard to parents' rearing attitude, it was found that ADHD children's parents have more antagonistic and rejective rearing attitude than ordinary children's and they have more undesirable rearing attitude than ordinary children's parents.
Second, rearing attitude changed in parents who attended parent education but the change was not significant.
Third, after parent education, children's home behavior changed as their aggressiveness and the seriousness of problematic behaviors were eased.
Fourth, no change in children's school behavior was found after parent education.
Putting the results together, it is concluded that ADHD children's parents have rearing attitude distinguished from that of ordinary children's parents and that parent education programs for ADHD children's parents lessen ADHD children's aggressiveness and the seriousness of their problematic behaviors at home.