Behavioral Parent Training for ADHD Reduces Situational Severity of Child Noncompliance and Related Parental Stress

Abstract

Objective: Parents are more likely to seek treatment when a child’s behaviors cause impairment and increase parental burden. Thus, it is important to document the effectiveness of behavioral parent training (BPT) on the pervasiveness and severity of children’s behavior and related parental distress. Method: Data were obtained from 304 parents of school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) attending BPT groups in an outpatient setting. Results: After BPT, parents reported fewer and less severe problematic situations related to child noncompliance, particularly for chores, homework, mealtimes, and peer interactions. Parents also reported significantly reduced stress related to parenting a child with ADHD. Improvements in Nonfamilial Transactions and Task Performance were associated with reductions in degree of parental stress. Conclusion: BPT offered in a real-world clinical setting has meaningful impacts on the child behaviors that lead parents to seek treatment and reduces stress related to parenting a child with ADHD.