The Effect of Parental Sensitivity on ADHD Symptoms in Children

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood. In contrast to boys, girls are frequently underdiagnosed, partly because they tend to present with predominantly inattentive symptoms, which are less disruptive. Parents play an important role in the management of ADHD symptoms, with some studies suggesting that sensitive parenting could reduce symptom severity. However, limited research has examined the effect of sensitive parenting on ADHD symptoms in middle childhood and none have looked at potential gender differences in these effects. The present study investigated the association between parental sensitivity and ADHD symptoms in children and explored possible gender differences. Using a cross-sectional design, data from the Leiden-CID longitudinal twin study was analysed, including 321 children aged 9-11 from wave 3 and the same children at the ages 11-13 from wave 5 (n=231), drawn from a population-based sample with...Show moreAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood. In contrast to boys, girls are frequently underdiagnosed, partly because they tend to present with predominantly inattentive symptoms, which are less disruptive. Parents play an important role in the management of ADHD symptoms, with some studies suggesting that sensitive parenting could reduce symptom severity. However, limited research has examined the effect of sensitive parenting on ADHD symptoms in middle childhood and none have looked at potential gender differences in these effects. The present study investigated the association between parental sensitivity and ADHD symptoms in children and explored possible gender differences. Using a cross-sectional design, data from the Leiden-CID longitudinal twin study was analysed, including 321 children aged 9-11 from wave 3 and the same children at the ages 11-13 from wave 5 (n=231), drawn from a population-based sample with participation-related exclusions. ADHD symptoms were measured using the Social Emotional Questionnaire (SEQ), and parental sensitivity was assessed through the Etch-a-Sketch task. Multiple regression analyses tested the hypotheses that heightened parental sensitivity is associated with lower ADHD symptoms, both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive, and explored whether these associations differ by gender. To achieve this, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for inattentive symptoms and hyperactivity/impulsivity ADHD symptoms. Parental Sensitivity and Gender were entered in the first block of the regression, and their interaction term was entered in the second block. The results indicated no significant associations between parental sensitivity and either inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. However, a significant gender difference was found for hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (𝑝=.002, 95% CI), with boys showing higher levels of these behaviours. The absence of significant findings for parental sensitivity on ADHD symptoms in children may be due to sample characteristics, including low ADHD symptom prevalence and the young age of the participants, particularly concerning girls who often present symptoms later. Despite the null findings regarding parental sensitivity, this research contributes to the growing understanding of factors that may influence symptom management and highlights the importance of tailored interventions that address the unique needs of both boys and girls with ADHD.Show less

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The Effect of Parental Sensitivity on ADHD Symptoms in Children