Children with ADHD : the experience of mothers

There are three sections to this thesis; 1. A review of the literature pertaining to mothers of children with ADHD. Findings of studies in the following areas are summarised and critically discussed; parenting stress, family functioning, parental factors related to child antisocial behaviours and mother- child interactions. Some implications for further research and clinical practice are outlined. 2. A research report of a study which employed semi-structured interviews and Interpretational Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore six mothers' experience of their sons' ADHD. Three themes emerged from the analysis of the interview transcripts; 1. The struggle to understand and explain the child. 2. Shouldering the burden. 3. The significance of diagnosis and treatment. The results are discussed in relation to relevant literature. Some clinical implications are considered. 3. A critical appraisal of the research project, giving an account of the project from its inception to completion of the thesis and including some reflections upon the impact of the research on the author.