Psychological Interventions for Parents of Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review

Ghazale  Nahavandi; Abbas Ali  Hosseinkhanzadeh

doi:10.18502/ssu.v34i4.22065

Ghazale Nahavandi Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Allameh Tabataba'i, Tehran, Iran
Abbas Ali Hosseinkhanzadeh Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v34i4.22065

Keywords: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Parents, Psychological Interventions.

Abstract

Introduction: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the disorders that can have a significant negative impact on the family. Parents of these children often experience psychological stress and distress. In recent years, growing attention has been placed on parent-based interventions as an effective approach to improving behavioral and family-related outcomes. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to systematically review and identify psychological interventions targeting parents of children with ADHD.

Methods: This systematic review analyzed research on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for parents of children with ADHD. Relevant scientific articles were retrieved from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate using keywords, including Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, ADHD, attention deficit, hyperactivity, impulsivity, parents, psychological intervention, group therapy, randomized controlled trial, and controlled clinical trial. Out of 17500 articles analyzed in the last 10 years, 26 articles met the inclusion criteria.

Results: The results showed that the most frequently implemented interventions were Behavioral Parent Training (BPT), mindfulness, and psychoeducational programs, respectively. These interventions played a role in reducing parental stress, reducing symptoms of ADHD and behavioral problems in children, improving the parent-child relationship and parenting style of parents, and improving quality of life. However, the study also revealed a limited number of studies examining the effects of psychological interventions specifically targeting fathers.

Conclusion: Behavioral interventions, mindfulness-based approaches, and psychoeducational programs increase parents' knowledge and understanding of ADHD, enabling them to better control the situation and adopt more effective parenting practices. This improves parent-child relationships and interaction, and reduces ADHD symptoms in children.