ABSTRACT
The families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been the focus of investigations for more than a quarter of a century (1,2), with interest in areas such as parent-child interactions, parental characteristics, as well as marital relations and family involvement in the treatment process. This research, although largely descriptive in nature, has provided ample documentation of the areas in which these families are likely to face challenges, as well as areas of strength. Recently, research concerning families of children with ADHD has been characterized by a progressive understanding of the relation between family or parental characteristics and the conduct problems that commonly co-occur in children with ADHD. Given necessary space limitations, in this chapter we have chosen to highlight research in five domains of functioning within families of children with ADHD including parent-child interactions, parental psychopathology, parental cognitions, marital relationships, and the role of families in treatment.
