Hung Samson Chun, Chau Anson Kai Chun, Lei Janet Hiu-Ching, Lai Eric Tsz-Him, Wong Gabbie Hou-Sem, Leung Iris Ka-Yan, Chang Wing-Chung, Ho Chung, Leung Brian Man-Ho, Wong Wilfred Shone-Horn, Chan Joe Kwun-Nam, Lee Krystal Chi-Kei, Cheng Calvin Pak-Wing, Chan Wai-Chi, Wong Corine Sau-Man, Chan Gloria Hoi-Kei, Leung Patrick Wing-Leung, Yu Zoe Hoi-Shuen
Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Department of Psychiatry, Kwai Chung Hospital, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2025 May 13;24(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s12991-025-00569-7.
Caregivers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are vulnerable to increased psychological distress during COVID-19. However, specific pandemic- and child-related factors contributing to their poor mental health have not been fully investigated. We aimed to comprehensively examine prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety among caregivers of ADHD children in Hong-Kong during the peak of fifth pandemic wave with territory-wide school closure.
One-hundred-ninety-nine caregivers of ADHD children were assessed with self-rated questionnaires between 29 March-14 April, 2022. Questionnaires encompassed socio-demographics, pre-existing physical/psychiatric morbidity, COVID-19 related factors, children's ADHD and other psychiatric symptoms. Caregivers' psychological distress was quantified by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7). Caregivers who scored ≥ 10 in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were classified as having probable depression and probable anxiety, respectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify correlates associated with caregivers' probable depression and anxiety status.
Forty-four (22.4%) and 33 (16.9%) caregivers had probable depression and anxiety, respectively. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that caregivers' pre-existing mental disorder, greater COVID-19 stressor burden, and more severe emotional symptoms and insomnia of ADHD children were independently associated with both caregivers' depression and anxiety status.
A significant proportion of caregivers of ADHD children experienced clinically-significant depressive and anxiety symptoms during the peak of fifth pandemic wave and school closure. Findings suggest that optimizing management of caregivers' pre-existing mental health conditions, addressing emotional and sleep symptoms in ADHD children, and implementing strategies to alleviate pandemic-related stressors may reduce caregivers' psychological distress.
注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）儿童的照料者在新冠疫情期间更容易出现心理困扰。然而，导致其心理健康不佳的特定疫情相关因素和儿童相关因素尚未得到充分研究。我们旨在全面调查在香港第五波疫情高峰期全港学校关闭期间，ADHD儿童照料者中抑郁和焦虑的患病率及其相关因素。
2022年3月29日至4月14日期间，对199名ADHD儿童的照料者进行了自评问卷调查。问卷涵盖社会人口统计学、既往身体/精神疾病、新冠疫情相关因素、儿童的ADHD及其他精神症状。照料者的心理困扰通过患者健康问卷9项（PHQ-9）和广泛性焦虑障碍量表7项（GAD-7）进行量化。PHQ-9得分≥10分和GAD-7得分≥10分的照料者分别被归类为可能患有抑郁症和可能患有焦虑症。进行单因素和多因素逻辑回归分析，以确定与照料者可能的抑郁和焦虑状态相关的因素。
分别有44名（22.4%）和33名（16.9%）照料者可能患有抑郁症和焦虑症。多因素回归分析显示，照料者既往的精神障碍、更大的新冠疫情压力负担以及ADHD儿童更严重的情绪症状和失眠与照料者的抑郁和焦虑状态均独立相关。
在第五波疫情高峰期和学校关闭期间，相当一部分ADHD儿童的照料者出现了具有临床意义的抑郁和焦虑症状。研究结果表明，优化照料者既往心理健康状况的管理、解决ADHD儿童的情绪和睡眠症状以及实施减轻疫情相关压力的策略，可能会减轻照料者的心理困扰。
