The Effect of Parent Management Training on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective - To investigate the effect of Parent Management Training (PMT) on behaviour of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the general mental health of their parents. Method - Twelve parents whose children or adolescents were diagnosed with ADHD agreed to participate in the PMT classes for eight weekly sessions of 1½ hours duration. The children were aged between 4 and 13 years. The general mental health of parents and the behaviour of their children were assessed at the first, and after the last training sessions on measures of General Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS-R), and Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised (CTRS-R). Results - The total score of CPRS-R, and the subscale scores measuring conduct problems, learning problems and the hyperactivity index all decreased significantly. None of the scores on the CTRS-R changed significantly. The mean scores of the GHQ-28 were significant less after the intervention compared to before the intervention. Conclusion - PMT improved the behaviour of the children with ADHD and the general mental health of the parents. It is possible that the high refusal rate is an indication that the intervention may be unacceptable to a large proportion of parents.