ADHD Symptoms in Parents of Children With or Without ADHD: Prospective Association With Children’s Quality of Life and Emotional and Conduct Problems (EPINED Cohort)

Abstract

ADHD symptoms are frequently reported in parents of children with ADHD, however, their prevalence and association with children’s mental health and quality of life (QoL) remain poorly understood. This study examines parental ADHD symptoms and their associations with children’s mental health and QoL in the context of a prospective longitudinal study. The sample comprised 448 mothers and 375 fathers of 456 schoolchildren from the EPINED cohort (140 ADHD, 59 subthreshold ADHD symptoms, 257 comparison group). ADHD symptom rates were higher in mothers (18.2%) than in fathers (15.9%) and were significantly more frequent among mothers of children with ADHD (24.8%) compared with mothers in the comparison group (14.7%). Maternal ADHD risk (OR = 8.15) and maternal psychological difficulties (OR = 12.15), were both associated with the persistence of children’s emotional problems. Child ADHD diagnosis was associated with conduct problems (OR = 2.62) and their persistence (OR = 6.84). Additionally, maternal ADHD risk was consistently associated with poorer child QoL (β=-7.69). These findings suggest that maternal ADHD symptoms and psychological difficulties are key factors in children’s emotional outcomes, highlighting the need for family-focused assessment and intervention strategies.