Parents’ Fear of Addiction, Education, Income, Child’s Gender and Perception of Stimulants

Research has indicated that the use of stimulant medication in the treatment of attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children has increased in the last decades. However, there remains an important gap in the current literature regarding parents’ perceptions of stimulants in the treatment of ADHD symptoms. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between parents’ fear of addiction, parental level of education, household income, and gender of the child, and parents’ perception of stimulant medication to address the symptoms of ADHD in children 6-8 years old. The theory of reasoned action was used to provide an appropriate lens to this study because this theory holds that attitudes and beliefs influence behaviors. Data were collected from 394 parents who reported having a child between ages 6 and 8 diagnosed with ADHD. The participants completed the Treatment Evaluation Inventory and a demographics survey on the Survey Monkey website. Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed significant findings in that fear of addiction and household income impacted parents’ perceptions of stimulant medication to treat ADHD symptoms. However, analysis of the predictors parents’ level of education and gender of the child were found to be not significant. The findings may guide future research to examine and determine more ways to help parents who do not have access to credible information to understand the benefits and contra-indications of different types of treatment available to address ADHD symptoms