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Parental explanatory models of ADHD

Gender and cultural variations

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Background:

This study describes parents’ explanatory models of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and examines model variation by child characteristics.

Method:

Children with ADHD (N = 182) were identified from a school district population of elementary school students. A reliable coding system was developed for parental responses obtained in ethnographic interviews in order to convert qualitative into numerical data for quantitative analysis.

Results:

African-American parents were less likely to connect the school system to ADHD problem identification, expressed fewer worries about ADHD-related school problems, and voiced fewer preferences for school interventions than Caucasian parents, pointing to a potential disconnect with the school system.

Conclusions:

More African-American than Caucasian parents were unsure about potential causes of and treatments for ADHD, indicating a need for culturally appropriate parent education approaches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chief Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Dept. of Psychiatry, of Pediatrics, and of Health Policy & Epidemiology, University of Florida, 100234 UFHC, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0234, USA

    Regina Bussing M. D., M. S. H. S.

  2. College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Faye A. Gary Ed. D., R. N.

  3. Dept. of Sociology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Terry L. Mills Ph. D.

  4. Dept. of Statistics in the College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Cynthia Wilson Garvan Ph. D.

Authors
  1. Regina Bussing M. D., M. S. H. S.
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  2. Faye A. Gary Ed. D., R. N.
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  3. Terry L. Mills Ph. D.
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  4. Cynthia Wilson Garvan Ph. D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Regina Bussing M. D., M. S. H. S..

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Bussing, R., Gary, F.A., Mills, T.L. et al. Parental explanatory models of ADHD. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 38, 563–575 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-003-0674-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-003-0674-8

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