Attitudes of parents towards their children with attention deficit & hyperactivity disorder seen at the UP-PGH child and adolescent OPD and MCAU from Jan-Nov 2007: Implications of parent and child relationship

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This paper will describe the sociodemogra-phic characteristics of parents, measure the degree of contentment with their relationship regarding their child who has been diagnosed with ADHD as well as determine if there is an association between the socio- demographic profile of the parent and his/ her level of satisfaction.METHODOLOGY: This is a cross sectional study of parents of ADHD children aged 3- 17 years old who consulted at UP - PGH from Jan- Nov 2007. After conducting a neurological and mental status exam of the patients who consulted at the OPD Child and Adolescent Section, their parents were asked to answer the 25 item Index of Parental Attitude Scale, which was translated to Filipino.RESULTS: There were 25 respondents. Majority of those who cared for the children with ADHD were females (84%), below 40 years old (56%), married (76%), Roman Catholic (84%), had a college degree (64%), with a family monthly income of 5- 10 thousand ( 48%) and unemployed (68%). Seventy two percent (18/25) scored above 30 indicating clinically significant problems. Only 7 (28%) admitted to a satisfactory relationship with their child.CONCLUSION: The sociodemographic factors had no statistically significant effect on the parents' degree of satisfaction towards their children.