ADHD Questions
What role do parents play in ADHD risk?
Charles Li, MD
July 12, 2023
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As with many mental health conditions, genetics and upbringing influence ADHD risk.
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Other factors, such as socioeconomic status and the mental health of the parents, can also contribute to ADHD risk and recovery.
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One of the best ways that parents can influence ADHD in children is by getting them diagnosed and treated for ADHD if needed.
ADHD is a complex condition with many causes that we’re still trying to understand. Like many mental health conditions, some ADHD risk appears to be genetic. However, other factors, such as the home environment, can also play a role.
In this article, we explore the different ways parents may influence ADHD risk in their children, directly and indirectly.
Socioeconomic status, and ADHD risk
The socioeconomic status of a parent has been linked with ADHD risk in children.
Children growing up in low-income households or single-parent households are much more likely to develop ADHD.
Meanwhile, children whose mothers were college-educated and whose parents owned the homes were much less likely to develop ADHD.
The association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with socioeconomic disadvantage: alternative explanations and evidence
The study suggests that household factors do play a role in ADHD risk. However, as with any similar study, much of this could be due to confounding and mediation:
What is mediation in statistics?
Can parents pass ADHD to children?
There is some evidence that parents can pass ADHD to their children.
One study below found that children whose parents at ADHD were four times more likely to develop ADHD themselves.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Interaction between socioeconomic status and parental history of ADHD determines prevalence
This suggests that ADHD may have a genetic component, which has been found as well in other studies:
Parental mental health and ADHD risk
The mental health of parents has been linked with ADHD and children as well. One study found that children whose parents had poor mental health were less likely to recover from ADHD themselves:
Childhood Factors Affecting Persistence and Desistence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Adulthood: Results From the MTA
Parents and ADHD diagnosis
Parents can play a role in whether a child gets diagnosed with ADHD after they develop ADHD.
ADHD often goes undiagnosed in children. It can also be overdiagnosed in other children.
Key Takeaways
The research shows that, as expected, genetics play a role in ADHD. This, of course, can't be controlled by parents.
Other factors, such as socioeconomic status, can also play a role outside of genetics.
After children get ADHD, parents can play a role in helping children get diagnosed and treated. ADHD is a treatable condition. Parents are often the first to notice symptoms in their children.