Parenting stress in mothers of children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This research was down to compare parenting stress in mothers' with ADHD sons and normal ones.
Materials and Methods: This research is a causal-comparing study and the statistical universe was all mothers of 5 to 12 years old sons with ADHD who referred to child psychiatry clinics (Ibn-e-Sina and Dr Sheikh Hospitals) and all mothers of normal sons (5 to 12 years old) were selected in primary and preprimary school at 4^th educational area of Mashhad city, north-eastern part of Iran. Fifty mothers with ADHD children by at reached sampling and 80 mothers with normal children were selected by cluster sampling. Parenting Stress Index (PSI) was used and data analyzed by descriptive and analytic statistical methods such as t-test in independent groups.
Results:Results showed that there was a significant difference between parenting stress (parent's realm) and its branches in mothers of ADHD children and mothers of normal children (P<0.000).
There was a significant difference between parenting stress (child's realm) and its branches in mothers of ADHD children and mothers of normal children (P<0.000) and difference between parenting stress (parent-child's realm) and its branches in mothers of ADHD children and mothers of normal children was significant too (P<0.000).
Conclusion: Mothers with ADHD children had more stress compared with mothers of normal children which it is realized by parenting stress index.