Understanding the Contributions of Family Processes to Educational Outcomes for Children with ADHD: A Longitudinal Analysis

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at elevated risk for a host of negative educational outcomes compared to their typically developing peers. Families coping with ADHD are also less involved in their child's education and have more impaired parent-child relationships compared with families without a child with ADHD. Existing interventions targeting educational outcomes have typically focused on improving skills or performance deficits; however, there has been little focus on the ecological context in which interventions have been implemented. More research is needed that investigates the interrelationships between the child with ADHD, important family, school, and family-school processes, and educational outcomes. The present study proposed a model based on the extant literature and used structural equation modeling to investigate the ways in which the processes of family involvement in education and the parent-child relationship are related to classroom behavior and academic performance. The study used a sample of students with ADHD who participated in a previously completed family-school intervention. It was hypothesized that the explanatory model will fit the data well and that more parental involvement in education and stronger parent-child relationships would be associated with better classroom behavior and academic performance over time. The results of model testing showed that parent ratings of increases in negative parenting practices were associated with teacher rated decreases in classroom behavior and academic outcomes. Also, increases in parent rated self-efficacy to be involved in their child's education was associated with teacher-rated improvements in child academic performance. Suggestions for future research in this area is discussed, as well as implications for practitioners.