Skip to main content
Log in

Responsiveness in Interactions of Mothers and Sons with ADHD: Relations to Maternal and Child Characteristics

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We observed mother–child interactions, at baseline, in 136 families of 7–10-year-old boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were part of a large clinical trial, the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD. Independent coders rated stylistic aspects of maternal behavior and factor analyses revealed a responsiveness factor that included overall responsiveness and sensitivity to the child, warmth and acceptance, and appropriate control. We examined relations between maternal responsiveness and (a) maternal depressive symptoms and maternal childhood ADHD symptoms, and (b) boys' ADHD and conduct problem symptoms. Controlling for all other variables, maternal responsiveness displayed a unique negative association with mother-reported child conduct problems, but not with child ADHD symptoms, and also was negatively related to maternal depressive symptoms. We discuss the unique association between mother-reported child conduct problems and parenting, and note the utility of studying parenting style in families of children with ADHD. We describe the results within the framework of a transactional model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Anderson, C. A., Hinshaw, S. P., & Simmel, C. (1994). Mother-child interactions in ADHD and comparison boys: Relationships with overt and covert externalizing behaviors. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 22, 247–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A. (1998). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A., Anastopoulos, A. D., Guevremont, D. C., & Fletcher, K. E. (1992). Adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Mother adolescent interactions, family beliefs and conflicts, and maternal psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 20, 263–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D. (1968). Authoritarian vs. authoritative parental control. Adolescence, 3, 255–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D. (1983). Rejoinder to Lewis's reinterpretation of parental firm control effects: Are authoritative families really harmonious? Psychological Bulletin, 93, 132–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Garbin, M. G. (1988). Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory: Twenty-five years of evaluation. Clinical Psychology Review, 8, 77–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biederman, J., Faraone, S., Milberger, S., Curtis, S., Chen, L., Marrs, A., et al. (1996). Predictors of persistence and remission of ADHD into adolescence: Results from a four-year prospective follow-up study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35, 343–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B. (1994). Hard-to-manage preschool boys: Externalizing behavior, social competence, and family context at two-year followup. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 22, 147–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B., Breaux, A. M., Ewing, L. J., & Szumowski, E. K. (1986). Correlates and predictors of hyperactivity and aggression: A longitudinal study of parent-referred problem preschoolers. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 14, 217–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B., & Ewing, L. J. (1990). Follow-up of hard-to-manage preschoolers” Adjustment at age 9 and predictors of continuing symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 871–899.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, E. A., Jacobvitz, D., & Sroufe, L. A. (1995). A developmental investigation of inattentiveness and hyperactivity. Child Development, 66, 37–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conners, C. K. (1990). Conners' Rating Scales Manual. Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, C. E., & Barkley, R. A. (1979). The interactions of normal and hyperactive children with their mothers in free play and structured tasks. Child Development, 50, 217–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J., Power, T. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., & Reid, R. (1998). ADHD Rating Scale-IV: Checklists, norms, and clinical interpretation. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Vallano, G., & Pelham, W. E. (1994). Treatment of parenting behavior with a psychostimulant: A case study of an adult with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 4, 63–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W., & Giberson, R. S. (1995). Identifying the links between parents and their children's sibling relationships. In S. Shulman (Ed.), Close relationships in social-emotional development (pp. 95–108). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, D. F., & Rogoff, B. (1995). Sensitivity and teaching by dysphoric and nondysphoric women in structured versus unstructured situations. Developmental Psychology, 31, 388–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomez, R., & Sanson, A. V. (1994). Mother child interactions and noncompliance in hyperactive boys with and without conduct problems. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 477–490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield, B., Hechtman, L., Bouffard, R., Minde, K., Looper, K., Ochs, E., et al. (2001, June). Correspondence between self and “significant other” reports of childhood and current adult ADHD symptoms. Poster presented at the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Vancouver.

  • Harnish, J. D., Dodge, K. A., Valente, E., & the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (1995). Mother-child interaction quality as a partial mediator of the roles of maternal depressive symptomatology and socioeconomic status in the development of child behavior problems. Child Development, 66, 739–753.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P., March, J. S., Abikoff, H., Arnold, L. E., Cantwell, D. P., Conners, C. K., et al. (1997). Comprehensive assessment of childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in the context of a multisite, multimodal clinical trial. Journal of Attention Disorders, 1, 217–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, C. (1996). Parent characteristics and parent-child interactions in families of nonproblem children and ADHD children with higher and lower levels of oppositional-defiant behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 24, 85–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, C., & Mash, E. J. (2001). Families of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Review and recommendations for future research. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4, 183–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kochanska, G. (1997). Multiple pathways to conscience for children with different temperaments: From toddlerhood to age 5. Developmental Psychology, 33, 228–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindahl, K. M. (1998). Family process variables and children's disruptive behavior problems. Journal of Family Psychology, 12, 420–436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maccoby, E. E., & Martin, J. A. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: Parent-child interactions. In P. H. Mussen (Series Ed.) & E. M. Hetherington (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 4. Socialization, personality, and social development (4th ed., pp. 1–101). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mash, E. J., & Johnston, C. (1982). A comparison of the mother-child interactions of younger and older hyperactive and normal children. Child Development, 53, 1371–1381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD Cooperative Group. (1999). A 14–month randomized clinical trial of treatment strategies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 56, 1073–1086.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nigg, J. T., John, O. P., Blaskey, L., Huang-Pollock, C., Willcutt, E. G., Hinshaw, S. P., et al. (2001). Big five dimensions and ADHD symptoms: Links between personality traits and clinical symptoms. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Rothbaum, F., & Weisz, J. R. (1994). Parental caregiving and child externalizing behavior in nonclinical samples: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 116, 55–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sameroff, A. J., & Fiese, B. H. (2000). Models of development and developmental risk. In C. H. Zeanah, Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of infant mental health (2nd ed., pp. 3–19). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, K. K., Frick, P. J., & Wootton, J. (1996). Assessment of parenting practices in families of elementary school-age children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 25, 317–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. A., Sandoval, R., Szumowski, E., Roizen, N., Reinecke, M. A., Blondis, T. A., et al. (1995). Psychometric characteristics of the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS): Reliability and factor structure for men and women. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 31, 425–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, J. M. (1992). School-based assessments and interventions for ADD students. Irvine, CA: KC Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahler, R. G., & Bellamy, A. (1997). Generating reciprocity with conduct problem children and their mothers: The effectiveness of compliance teaching and responsive parenting. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 14, 549–564.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wakschlag, L. S., & Hans, S. L. (1999). Relation of maternal responsiveness during infancy to the development of behavior problems in high-risk youth. Developmental Psychology, 35, 569–579.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, M. F., Wender, P. H., & Reimherr, F. W. (1993). The Wender Utah Rating Scale: An aid in retrospective diagnosis of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 885–890.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendland-Carro, J., Piccinini, C. A., & Millar, W. S. (1999). The role of early intervention on enhancing the quality of mother-infant interactions. Child Development, 70, 713–721.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whalen, C. K., & Henker, B. (1999). The child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in family contexts. In H. C. Quay & A. E. Hogan (Eds.), Handbook of disruptive behavior disorders (pp. 139–155). New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winsler, A. (1998). Parent-child interactions and private speech in boys with ADHD. Applied Developmental Science, 2, 17–39.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charlotte Johnston.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnston, C., Murray, C., Hinshaw, S.P. et al. Responsiveness in Interactions of Mothers and Sons with ADHD: Relations to Maternal and Child Characteristics. J Abnorm Child Psychol 30, 77–88 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014235200174

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014235200174

Navigation