Do Parents of Children with ADHD Know the Disease? Results from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Zhejiang, China

Xiaoli Fan; Ye Ma; Jingjing Cai; Guochun Zhu; Weijia Gao; Yanyi Zhang; Nannan Lin; Yanxiao Rao; Shujiong Mao; Rong Li; Rongwang Yang

doi:10.3390/children9111775

Children (Nov 2022)

Do Parents of Children with ADHD Know the Disease? Results from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Zhejiang, China

Xiaoli Fan,
Ye Ma,
Jingjing Cai,
Guochun Zhu,
Weijia Gao,
Yanyi Zhang,
Nannan Lin,
Yanxiao Rao,
Shujiong Mao,
Rong Li,
Rongwang Yang

Affiliations

Xiaoli Fan: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Ye Ma: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Jingjing Cai: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Guochun Zhu: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Weijia Gao: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Yanyi Zhang: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Nannan Lin: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Yanxiao Rao: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Shujiong Mao: Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
Rong Li: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
Rongwang Yang: Department of Child Psychology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children9111775
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 11
p. 1775

Abstract

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Parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are crucial in the selection of the treatment strategy and how to care for children with ADHD. However, little is known about parents’ conception in mainland China. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess this information with 25 true/false questions regarding ADHD, and other questions investigating the methods of acquiring ADHD-related information, treatment preference, and concerns about ADHD treatment strategy. We found that the average score of all the participants was 17.42 ± 2.69 (total of 25 points) for the questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about ADHD. This indicated that the parents had insufficient knowledge of this disease profile. They always accessed specialized information through mobile internet. For the treatment options, the investigated parents chose psychotherapy treatment rather than medications, in that they worried about the side effects of medication and expected to find alternative treatment strategies. The present investigation demonstrated that most parents lack knowledge about ADHD in treatment decision making in China. Medical professionals should provide parents with evidence-based ADHD-related information to help them understand this disease.

Published in Children

ISSN: 2227-9067 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pediatrics
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/children

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