TY - JOUR

T1 - Self-protective strategies of parents with ADHD and their children as mediated by sensitivity – a multiple-case study

AU - Syrjänen, Milla

AU - Hautamäki, Airi

AU - Pleshkova, Natalia

AU - Maliniemi, Sinikka

PY - 2019/11/28

Y1 - 2019/11/28

N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the parental sensitivity and self-protective strategies of parents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those of their children. Design/methodology/approach: Six parents with ADHD and their under 3-years-old children participated. One parent took part with her both children. The data included seven parent-child dyads. The parents were interviewed with the modified Adult Attachment Interview. Parental sensitivity was assessed using the CARE-Index. The self-protective strategies of the children were assessed with The Strange Situation Procedure or the Preschool Assessment of Attachment. Findings: The study showed a variety of the self-protective strategies of parents with ADHD as well as those of their children. Three subgroups were formed on the basis of risk as indicated by Crittenden’s gradient of transformation of information. Parents displayed complex self-protective strategies as well as unresolved traumas, which impaired their sensitivity and ability to engage in mutual regulation of arousal and emotion. The parents’ needs of self-protection compromised their ability to protect and comfort their child that is their sensitivity. The children’s protective strategies matched those of their parents in regard to complexity as mediated by parental sensitivity. Originality/value: This multiple-case study demonstrates new ideas to be tested with quantitative methods in larger samples. There are no previous studies which have examined both the attachment strategies and sensitivity of parents with ADHD connecting these with the evolving attachment strategies of their children.

AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the parental sensitivity and self-protective strategies of parents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those of their children. Design/methodology/approach: Six parents with ADHD and their under 3-years-old children participated. One parent took part with her both children. The data included seven parent-child dyads. The parents were interviewed with the modified Adult Attachment Interview. Parental sensitivity was assessed using the CARE-Index. The self-protective strategies of the children were assessed with The Strange Situation Procedure or the Preschool Assessment of Attachment. Findings: The study showed a variety of the self-protective strategies of parents with ADHD as well as those of their children. Three subgroups were formed on the basis of risk as indicated by Crittenden’s gradient of transformation of information. Parents displayed complex self-protective strategies as well as unresolved traumas, which impaired their sensitivity and ability to engage in mutual regulation of arousal and emotion. The parents’ needs of self-protection compromised their ability to protect and comfort their child that is their sensitivity. The children’s protective strategies matched those of their parents in regard to complexity as mediated by parental sensitivity. Originality/value: This multiple-case study demonstrates new ideas to be tested with quantitative methods in larger samples. There are no previous studies which have examined both the attachment strategies and sensitivity of parents with ADHD connecting these with the evolving attachment strategies of their children.

KW - ADHD

KW - Attachment

KW - CARE-Index

KW - DMM AAI

KW - PAA

KW - Self-protective strategy

KW - Sensitivity

KW - SSP

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85070990935&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1108/JCS-09-2018-0018

DO - 10.1108/JCS-09-2018-0018

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85070990935

VL - 14

SP - 278

EP - 291

JO - Journal of Children's Services

JF - Journal of Children's Services

SN - 1746-6660

IS - 4

ER -