Parent Perceived Impact of Spaniard Boys’ and Girls’ Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Oppositional Defiant Behaviors on Family Life

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the impact of inattention, hyperactivity, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) behaviors and gender on family life. Method: We created scales for the Family Experiences Inventory (FEI) in a nonclinical sample of Spaniard families with children ages 6 to 12 years ( N = 369) and analyzed the perceived impact of these three behavior dimensions on family experiences. Results: Multiple regression analyses indicated that ODD behaviors were uniquely correlated with Total FEI and its dimensions. Inattention was also uniquely related to higher negative Impact on School Relations and lower Positive Impact on Parents scales. Finally, gender—hyperactivity interactions indicated that boys with higher hyperactivity scores were more likely to score higher on the FEI Total, School Relations, and Siblings scales, and more likely to score lower on the Positive Impact on Parents scale than girls. Conclusions: These findings suggested that parents perceive greater child-related impact and place greater burden from having a male child with hyperactivity. Inattention, hyperactivity, and oppositional defiant behaviors are associated with global parent—child interactive stress but the pattern of associations will vary depending upon the behavior, child gender, and context of family life examined.