Determination of parental burnout, psychological distress and self-efficacy levels according to functionality of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Year 2025, Volume: 39 Issue: 4, 255 - 264, 30.10.2025

Sevim Çimke

https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1813831

Abstract

BACKGROUND
This study aimed to examine parental self-efficacy, burnout, and psychological distress in relation to the functional impairment levels of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
METHODS
The study included 65 parents of children aged 5–18 years diagnosed with ADHD, who were admitted to a university hospital’s child psychiatry outpatient clinic between January 2020 and January 2021. Data were collected using a demographic form, the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10-PDS), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Parent Form (WFIRS-P). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression.
RESULTS
Mothers reported significantly higher psychological distress (K10-PDS) scores than fathers. Parental education level was significantly associated with psychological distress, emotional exhaustion, personal achievement, self-efficacy, and child functional impairment scores. Parents of children with symptom duration ≥4 years showed higher psychological distress and emotional exhaustion. Parents of medicated children had lower personal achievement scores. Children’s functional impairment (WFIRS-P) significantly predicted parents’ psychological distress (53.8% variance explained), emotional exhaustion (62.2%), personal achievement (34.4%), and self-efficacy (18.1%).
CONCLUSION
Higher levels of functional impairment in children with ADHD were associated with increased parental psychological distress and emotional exhaustion, alongside decreased self-efficacy and personal achievement.

Keywords

ADHD , burnout , psychological stress , parent , self-efficacy

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