Are Parents with ADHD Children at a Higher Risk for Divorce?
A recent study correlating divorce rates among parents with ADHD children was recently conducted by Brian T. Wymbs and William E. Pelham, Jr., at the University of Buffalo, and published in the October, 2008, issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. The conclusions included that raising ADHD children can place a strain on any marriage. The results showed that 22.7% of couples with an ADHD child became divorced by the child’s 8th birthday, as contrasted with 12.6% in the control group whose child had not been diagnosed with ADHD. Interestingly, after the child reached the age of 8 years old, there was not a significant statistical difference in the divorce rates between couples with or without an ADHD child. For more information about the study, including the characteristics which may impact the likelihood of a divorce, click here.
That is sad!! Children with ADHD need the positive inputs of both parents in order to contend and control violent behaviour as they grow. Contending with divorce could be devastating for these children. It is however common to see divorce and separation in parents of children with mental disabilities as the marriage environment is continuously stressful complicated by the lack of intimacy and constant control of emotions.
Thats a poor excuse for a divorce imo. Parents to children who have disabilities such as these should be able to stay together for the sake of the child.
i agree that it is probably more likely that parents do divorce but think it is more to do with the parents themselves causing adhd in their child as they have unspoken marital problems which need admitting to so causing childs problems which in turn causes more marital problems?
Dear San
Clearly you have no understanding of ADHD. It is a biological malfunction of the brain, inherited - genetic. It is not caused by parents, except by faulty genes being passed on. This is an interesting topic as I feel that domestic violence leading to divorce may be caused by the ADHD.
ADHD has a strong genetic component. It is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Children with ADHD need guidance and understanding from their parents and teachers to reach their full potential and to succeed in school. Having a child with ADHD is one of the reasons that marriages end in divorce. When parents interact with an ADHD child, they are more distressed, argue with one another more, and view one another as less supportive.