Assessing parents' willingness to pursue treatment for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated parents' willingness to pursue treatment for attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD).

METHOD

A self-administered questionnaire (the ADHD Knowledge and Opinion Scale--AKOS) was developed and administered to a sample of 116 families attending an outpatient ADHD clinic. Socioeconomic status, parenting stress, family adaptability and cohesion, degree of child's externalizing behavior, and treatment history were obtained for each family.

RESULTS

Parents' willingness to use medication or to pursue counseling were not related to family factors. History of the child receiving medication was mildly correlated with willingness to use medication. History of counseling was mildly correlated with willingness to use medication and to pursue counseling. Mothers who viewed their family as "enmeshed" reported significantly higher sense of competence than those viewing the family as "connected" or "disengaged."

CONCLUSION

The AKOS is an instrument that may help clinicians identify and address parents' concerns about treatment for ADHD as well as parents' perceptions about their parenting skills.