ADHD and Maternal Resiliency: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Ca ...

Despite a general lack of research on the subject, there is some indication that mothers of ADHD children are lacking in coping resources, including social supports. According to an early study, mothers of ADHD children participate in social activities less often and reported significantly higher levels of social isolation than mothers of non-ADHD children (Mash & Johnston, 1983). Mothers of ADHD children have also been found to have less contact with extended family (Malacrida, 2003) and perceive supportive attempts made by family members as less helpful (Cunningham et al., 1988).

In her study of Canadian and British mothers with ADHD children, Malacrida (2003) found that almost all of the mothers she interviewed were met with personal and professional conflict when searching to find ways to help their children. While professionals were often described as scrutinizing and suspicious, family members, friends, and other parents were often described as disapproving and confrontational. According to Malacrida, these stigmatizing interactions significantly contributed to the mothers’ feelings of stress and inadequacy as they struggled to come to terms with their children’s difficulties and to find the appropriate means of help and support. Clearly, the disputed status of ADHD has serious social implications for mothers seeking recognition and understanding of their child’s disorder, which may negatively impact their ability to secure support through preexisting social networks. Yet, despite its relative importance, little is known about the utilization of social support by mothers of ADHD children.

The ecological systems approach has frequently been applied to assess the interpersonal dynamics of families with handicapped children. As this theory purports, a change or difficulty experienced by one family member ultimately impacts the entire family as a unit and creates the need for family adjustment or adaptation.