Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Parents of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Referred to Psychiatric and Neurology Clinics of Children Affiliated to Zabol University of Medical Sciences in 1400

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that begins in childhood and often continues into adolescence and adulthood. Many studies on ADHD have confirmed its strong connection to genetic factors. Additionally, joint imbalance plays a role in its occurrence. Objectives: This study examines psychiatric disorders in parents of children with ADHD. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on the parents of 78 children with ADHD who visited children's psychiatry and neuropsychiatric clinics affiliated with Zabul University of Medical Sciences in 1400. Data collection was performed using a researcher-made checklist, the Conners Questionnaire for ADHD screening in children, and interviews with parents to investigate psychiatric disorders and confirm ADHD in children. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: In this study, the average ages of the children, fathers, and mothers were 7.38, 36.56, and 32.57 years, respectively. Of the hyperactive children, 50 (64.1%) were boys, and the rest were girls. Among the psychiatric disorders in fathers, 14 (17.9%) had depression, 9 (11.5%) had personality disorders, 7 (9%) had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and 4 (5.1%) had bipolar mood disorder (BMD), while 37 (47.4%) had no psychiatric disorders. Among the mothers, 22 (28.2%) had depression, 12 (15.4%) had GAD, and 6 (7.7%) had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), while 26 (33.3%) had no psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: This study showed that psychiatric disorders in fathers were related to job status, marriage, socioeconomic status, and substance abuse. The mother's education level was also associated with the occurrence of mental disorders. However, the presence of mental disorders in the parents of hyperactive children was not related to the gender of the child or the parent, the age of the child and the parents, or the number of children in the family.