The effect of behavioral parent training on decreasing depression symptoms and improving parenting styles of mothers with ADHD children

Introduction: The aim of the present study is investigating the influence of parents’ behavioral training to mothers of children with ADHD on reducing depression symptoms and improving parenting style of these mothers.Method: The method of study was quasi-experimental (pre-test and post-test design with control group). So, 24 mothers whose children had been diagnosed as ADHD were chosen through at-hand sampling and were matched in two groups of experimental and control. The research instruments were consisted of parenting style scale, Beck’s depression scale, and Conners’ parents rating scale for ADHD. Parents’ behavioral training was executed in nine 90-minutes sessions in experimental group. The two groups, finally, completed the scales as post-test. The data was analyzed through ANCOVA.Result: The results showed the influence of experimental procedure on lowering the mothers ‘authoritative and neglectful parenting practices scores and raising their authoritarian parenting style scores. The study also showed the influence of experimental procedure on decreasing parents’ depression in experimental group.Conclusion: The results totally showed that behavioral training to mothers improves their parenting style and prevents rising confusion in parent-child relationships and also emotional problems in mothers of children with ADHD.