The relations between parenting, delay aversion, and AD/HD symptoms in Hong Kong preschoolers

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the associations between preschoolers’ AD/HD symptoms and delay aversion (DAv), and their relations with parenting in the Hong Kong context. Method: 51 preschoolers were recruited to complete three delay-related laboratory tasks, and their mothers were invited to complete a set of questionnaires and an interview. Partial correlational analyses and hierarchical regressions were applied to investigate the relations between AD/HD symptoms, DAv, and parenting measures. Results: Child’s AD/HD symptoms were strongly associated with mother-reported child’s DAv, but not child’s performances in delay tasks. Child’s AD/HD symptoms and DAv significantly correlated with parenting stress and parental emotional responses. Child’s actual performances in delay tasks, but not mother-reported child’s Dav, significantly correlated with parenting styles. Conclusion: Child’s AD/HD symptoms are associated with their DAv. The mechanisms of how different parenting indicators may exacerbate child AD/HD symptoms and the implications on parental intervention for preschoolers with suspected AD/HD are discussed.