Effectiveness of Parent Management Training on Anxiety, Depression, and Somatic Symptoms in Parents of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Parent Management Training (PMT) in reducing anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms among parents of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of parents of children diagnosed with ADHD who were referred to psychological centers in Tabriz, Iran. A total of 66 parents were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. Data collection instruments included the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Somatic Symptom Disorder-12 Scale (SSD-12). The Parent Management Training program was implemented across nine sessions. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS version 26. The results of multivariate analysis of covariance demonstrated that Parent Management Training had a significant effect on reducing anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms among parents of children with ADHD. Pairwise comparisons indicated that the experimental group obtained significantly lower mean scores than the control group in depression (M = −3.39), anxiety (M = −3.92), and somatic symptoms (M = −3.26), with all differences significant at p < 0.01. The findings further suggested that participation in PMT sessions improved parental psychological well-being and reduced emotional distress associated with caring for a child with ADHD. Parent Management Training, through strengthening adaptive parenting behaviors, improving parent–child interactions, teaching problem-solving skills, and promoting positive reinforcement strategies, effectively reduced psychological distress among parents of children with ADHD. The intervention not only enhanced parenting competencies but also improved parents’ mental and physical well-being by reducing caregiving stress and increasing parental self-efficacy. Therefore, incorporating PMT into comprehensive treatment programs for families of children with ADHD is strongly recommended.