ADHD Questions
Does a Parent's Mental Health Affect ADHD Risk?
Charles Li, MD
July 12, 2023
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Parents with ADHD are more likely to have children with ADHD.
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Anxiety and depression in parents has also been linked with ADHD risk in children.
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Parents' mental health can play a role in the home environment and whether a child's ADHD improves as they get older.
The causes of ADHD are complex. Scientists are still actively researching and exploring to learn more about what causesADHD and what can protect children from developing ADHD.
Some researchers have examined whether mental health in parents affects ADHD risk in children.
One study, shown below, found that children whose parents had ADHD were over four times more likely to have ADHD themselves:
In a study on household and parental risk factors in ADHD, researchers found that kids growing up in low-income families where parents didn’t graduate from high school and homes with parents who had ADHD themselves had a much higher risk of developing ADHD.
This is consistent with our understanding of how ADHD is passed through families.
ADHD and other mental health disorders in parents
ADHD has also been linked with other mental health disorders and parents beyond just ADHD.
A study looking at anxiety and depression, and ADHD found that mothers of children with ADHD were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety:
Comorbid anxiety and depression in school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self- reported symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression among parents of school-aged children with and without ADHD
This is consistent with our understanding of the link between anxiety and ADHD. Studies have shown that mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression can affect ADHD risk and how a patient experiences ADHD.
Parents’ mental health and ADHD persistance
A parent’s health also plays a role in ADHD persistence. While most people with ADHD experience improvements as they age, some suffer from severe ADHD, even as adults.
A study found that one of the strongest predictors of children not getting better from ADHD as they get older is whether their parents have mental health issues.
Children whose parents have mental health issues with 30% more likely to have ADHD remain severe as they age into adulthood:
Childhood Factors Affecting Persistence and Desistence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Adulthood: Results From the MTA
The article below has more information on the different factors linked to ADHD recovery:
Answer Explorer
How ADHD in parents affects parenting
One of the reasons why ADHD in parents may affect mental health in children is the effect ADHD can have on parenting.
Parenting requires focus, discipline, and attention. All of these are areas that those with ADHD can struggle with.
One study found that parents with ADHD were likelier to struggle with keeping a calm and disciplined home environment.
Parental ADHD Symptomology and Ineffective Parenting: The Connecting Link of Home Chaos
As described by the authors below, parents with ADHD, often struggle with organizing a home, providing consistent discipline, and providing support for children’s negative emotions.
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Mothers with higher ADHD symptoms appear to have more difficulties in organizing a home environment that is conducive to effective parenting, and chaos in the home was linked to inconsistent discipline and non-supportive responses to children's negative emotions.
Key Takeaways
Many factors contribute to ADHD risk. There is evidence that parents with poor mental health, particularly if they have ADHD, can contribute to a higher risk of ADHD in children. This comes in the form of genetics and potentially in the home environment and how a child is raised.
While this is still being explored, there is a clear link between ADHD and mental health in general. Based on the studies above, this link may be why parents' mental health is linked to ADHD risk.