Date of Award

5-2024

Document Type

Doctoral Research Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Vida L. Tyc

Second Advisor

Mary-Caitlin Fertitta

Third Advisor

Kimberly N. Sloman

Fourth Advisor

Lisa A. Steelman

Abstract

As one of the most common pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) impacts all aspects of a child’s life. The demanding behavioral nature of ADHD also relies on parental vigilance and knowledge of symptomatology to ensure their child receives appropriate resources and assistance. Current research demonstrates the importance of early detection and intervention for ADHD, which relies on parents’ ability to accurately assess the evolution of their child’s functioning. However, literature exploring the accuracy of parent-report of ADHD symptoms and diagnostics is lacking. The present study aimed to determine if parents can accurately assess their child’s executive functioning, behavioral functioning, and emotional functioning, three main components considered in diagnosing pediatric ADHD. This study seeks to address gaps in the current literature by providing information regarding how parent knowledge and reporting accuracy may affect selected outcomes in children with ADHD.

This study consisted of 59 children and adolescents who completed neuropsychological testing within the age range of 11-17 yrs, and 59 parents. Parents and children completed parent-report and self- report forms, respectively, for selected domains of the BASC-3. Results indicated a positive correlation between parent ratings and child ratings of the child’s emotional and behavioral functioning. There was no significant association between parents’ ratings of their child’s attention problems and their child’s objective scores on Working Memory or Processing Speed indices of the WISC-V. Lastly, parents of children with significantly discrepant indices on the WISC-V were unlikely to report attention problems. Findings from this study suggest that parents are able to accurately rate their child’s behavioral and emotional symptoms but are less accurate in their assessment of their child’s executive functioning which may have implications for diagnosis and treatment planning for the child with ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD, executive functioning, behavioral functioning, emotional functioning, parent-report, school-age children, children, parent accuracy, early detection, pediatric diagnosis

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