Citation

Pollak Y, Poni B, Gershy N, Aran A. J. Atten. Disord. 2017; ePub(ePub): 1087054717725875.

Affiliation

Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1087054717725875

PMID

28823191

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: ADHD in adolescents and low level of parental monitoring have been associated with increased risk-taking behavior. The present study examined whether parental knowledge of the child's whereabouts mediates the correlations between adolescent ADHD symptoms and risk-taking behavior.

METHOD: Ninety-two adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires assessing perceptions of parents' monitoring, engagement in risk-taking behaviors, and ADHD symptoms.

RESULTS: Greater engagement in risk-taking behavior correlated with higher levels of ADHD symptoms and decreased parental monitoring. Mediation analysis revealed both direct effect of ADHD symptoms on risk-taking behavior and an indirect effect mediated by level of parental knowledge.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that parental knowledge is negatively affected by the presence of ADHD symptoms, and may in turn lead to risk-taking behavior. The findings emphasize the need to target parenting and in particular parental knowledge of the child's whereabouts to reduce risk-taking behaviors among youth with ADHD.

Language: en

Keywords

ADHD; adolescents; parental monitoring; risk-taking behavior