Young Adult’s Perception of Their Relationship with an ADHD Parent: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Parents with ADHD are known to struggle with various aspects of their role. Young adulthood is a significant developmental period marked by transition and new parental needs, however there is a dearth of studies on ADHD parenting specific to this age group. In this qualitative study, we explored how young adults aged 18 to 25 perceived the quality of their relationship with their ADHD parent. Four participants engaged in semi-structured interviews regarding the relationship with their parent and perceived strengths and difficulties. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, four themes were identified. These include: (1) Close Relationship and Quality Time; (2) Empathy as a Parental Strength; (3) The Chaos; (4) Lessons Learnt. Findings highlight the unique characteristics of ADHD parenting and implications for clinical practice are discussed.