Integrated Treatment for Depressed Mothers of ADHD Children

ADHD is one of the most common childhood mental disorders. Children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home and school, and in relationships with peers. Parenting a child with ADHD can be discouraging and stressful. Research has shown that parent-child interactions are more negative among families with ADHD children. Additionally, families with children with ADHD experience increased parental stress, maternal depression, and marital distress, as compared to families with healthy children. These interactions may exacerbate the child's ADHD symptoms. Behavioral parent training has been used to improve parent-child relationships. This study will determine the effectiveness of integrated parent training versus standard behavioral parent training in treating depression and stress in mothers of children with ADHD.

Individuals interested in participating in this open-label study will first undergo an assessment of their eligibility for inclusion in the study. This session will last between 3 and 4 hours and will involve both the mother and the child. If eligible, mothers will be randomly assigned to receive either standard behavioral parent training or an integrated treatment, involving both behavioral parent training and cognitive-behavioral therapy targeted at coping with stressful parenting situations. The integrated treatment will also include a course on coping with depression. Both groups will meet for 2 hours every Wednesday evening for 14 weeks. Childcare will be provided, as well as free treatment for childrens' ADHD symptoms and mothers' depression. Both the child's and the mother's psychological functioning will be assessed upon study completion and at the 3-month follow-up visit.