Testing the Similarity Fit/Misfit Hypothesis in Adolescents and Parents with ADHD

Parents and adolescents with ADHD may engage in excessive conflict due to the nature of adolescent ADHD behaviours (impulsivity, inattention) and the difficulties associated with parenting them. This may be magnified when parents struggle with ADHD and when comorbid adolescent externalizing problems exist. Despite the logic of an exacerbative effect when adolescents and parents have ADHD, research suggests that parents with ADHD show more tolerance, empathy and less conflict with their children who share similar cognitive traits (i.e., similarity-fit hypothesis). This study tested the similarity-fit/misfit hypotheses in a sample of 156 adolescents (mean age = 15.25) and their parents. Results supported the similarity-fit process in fathers whereby fathers and adolescents with higher inattention levels engaged in fewer conflicts. In mothers, the similarity-misfit hypothesis was supported: frequency of conflict was highest when mothers and adolescents had highest levels of inattention. Results were interpreted in the context of gender and parental roles.M.A.2016-11-19 00:00:0