Exploring the educational needs of parents of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore what parents of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), feel that they need to know more about and to identify any deficits in knowledge, sources of information and professional support, as seen through their eyes. Background ADHD has been a topic of relevance for many decades, both in research and clinical scenarios. An apparent increase in the incidence of ADHD among school children has stimulated interest in the subject, especially in terms of the causes, diagnosis, medical and behavioural management. However, very little importance has been given to the parents' needs - educational or otherwise despite their obvious influence on their child and their child's future. Method Thirteen parents of children with ADHD participated in a qualitative study using focus groups. Information from the literature was used as a guide for the focus group tool. Findings The findings of this study provided evidence that knowledge was lacking among parents of children with ADHD. The majority of the parents actively looked for knowledge, although sometimes their questions remained unanswered. It was evident that the parents required information from the time of diagnosis onwards since their educational needs changed as their children's needs evolved. Six major themes were identified in this study: family dynamics, school, society, stigma, knowledge and support. Conclusion The author hopes that the outcome of this study will help to create awareness, especially amongst Health Care Professionals, in particular how to identify and meet parents' educational needs. This study also identified the need to develop structured educational programmes that would include parental skills specifically for parents of children with ADHD.