Parent training for families of girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An analysis of three cases

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with a number of core and secondary problems. Core symptoms, such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, are often treated with stimulant medications like Ritalin. Secondary symptoms reflect difficulties in conduct, relationships, and coping skills and are usually treated with parent training and other psychotherapeutic means. Research examining the: effectiveness of parent training for alleviating secondary symptoms is inconclusive, especially regarding its effects in the home. Moreover, few girls have been employed as research participants. The purpose of this study is to examine the home behavior and maternal perceptions of girls with ADHD, before, during, and after a parent training intervention. Three families having a daughter with ADHD (aged ten to eleven years) completed the study. Parent ratings of behavior and emotional status were collected and observations of parent and child home behaviors were made. Observational and questionnaire data both show that child compliance improved in two out of three families. Results also indicate that parent ratings of child behavior agreed with behaviors observed in the home. Emotional improvement, and some lessening of the core ADHD symptoms, were also reported. These results suggest that parents in this study accurately reported changes in child behavior and that children made both emotional and behavioral gains as a result of the parent training intervention.