The Effect of Parenting Education to Mothers on the Amount of Screen Use in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It is the most common psychiatric disorder in childhood, and research shows that children with ADHD tend to use screens more frequently. Evidence also suggests that appropriate parenting strategies can improve the management of screen time. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of parenting education on the screen use of children and adolescents with ADHD attending child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient centers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study focused on children and adolescents with ADHD and their mothers who visited outpatient psychiatric centers in Rasht in 2022. Participants were divided into intervention and control groups. The study assessed screen time (TV, mobile, computer, etc.) by asking participants about their screen use before and after the intervention, which was conducted over 8 weeks with weekly 45-minute sessions. The intervention, led by a child psychiatry specialist and assisted by a psychiatric assistant, utilized constructive education techniques, including PowerPoint presentations, pamphlets, and question and answer sessions. Screen time was re-evaluated three months after the intervention. Results: This study involved children with ADHD, divided into two groups to assess the impact of parenting training. Of the children, 62.5% were boys and 37.5% were girls, with no significant difference in sex distribution between groups. The mean age was 9.36 ± 3.22 years. The average total hours of using screens in the group without educational intervention not only did not decrease but also showed a steady increase. However, in the group with educational intervention, screen time dramatically and significantly decreased from before the intervention to 8 weeks. This trend continued from 8 weeks to 3 months (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study showed that parenting education for mothers of children with ADHD can significantly create positive changes in decreasing the time spent using screens.