Relationship between Maternal ADHD Symptoms and Parenting Style: Focusing on Emotional Dysregulation

Abstract

Previous findings suggest that Japan and other countries have different parenting styles. As an extension of these cross-cultural differences, the present study examined the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation (the inability to properly modulate and regulate emotions) on the relationship between maternal ADHD symptoms and parenting styles. Participants were 179 mothers of preschool and elementary school children. The results of the mediation analysis revealed that emotional dysregulation does indeed mediate the relationship between maternal ADHD and parenting style. As part of assistance to mothers with ADHD symptoms, it is useful to add coping methods for ADHD while implementing parent training. These results clarify the fact that emotional dysregulation is related to parenting style. This fact suggests that improvement of emotional dysregulation is one of the best ways to cope with ADHD, and this could be added to parental training.