Psychologic Characteristics in Caregivers of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

An, Sang Uk; Lee, Kon Hee; Shin, Jae Young; Kim, Sung Koo

Abstract

PURPOSE
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with three characteristics, such as impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity symptoms. This is a common disease that the prevalence reaches 4-7% of all children. There are a variety of hypothesis in the pathogenic mechanisms and etiology. Parental psychopathology influences directly and indirectly on the occurrence of ADHD in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and psychological characteristics of caregiver of child with ADHD using the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)-2.
METHODS
The subjects consisted of 35 caregivers of patients with ADHD and 34 caregivers of children without neuropsychiatric disorders who visited to the pediatric neurology clinic of Kangnam sacred heart hospital from January 2009 to June 2011. We diagnosed ADHD according to DSM(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder)-IV criteria. We compared the psychologic characteristics between ADHD group and control group using T score of MMPI-2.
RESULTS
MMPI T scores of caregivers of children with ADHD were significantly higher on the depression(D), psychasthenia(Pt), schizophrenia(Sc), social introversion (Si) scales than control group and most of scales were significantly higher in restructured clinical (RC) scale and personality psychopathology five (PSY-5) scales.
CONCLUSION
The results suggested that psychopathology of caregivers might induce ADHD in the children. On the contrary, ADHD symptom of children might be associated with occurrence of psychopathology in the cargiver. In order to proper treatment of ADHD patient, we need to psychologic evaluation in the caregivers of patients with ADHD.