https://doi.org/10.59654/33k8a578
Relationship between the child with ADHD the fa-
mily environment: A systematic review
Relación entre el niño con TDAH y el entorno familiar:
una revisión sistemática
Abstract
The present study focuses on understanding the possible interdependence between a ADHD diagnosis, the response
to it among the family members, and how this bidirectionally affects the relationships, functioning and, ultimately,
the mental health of all the cohabitants. The methodological design is that of a systematic review following the
PRISMA protocol. The studies were analyzed using a qualitative approach based on an initial group of 143 works, of
which ten were included in the final sample. The selected studies show a clear tendency towards experiencing ne-
gative emotionality, which leads to permissive and/or authoritarian parenting styles, resulting in an increased clinical
symptomatology of the child affected by ADHD and acting as a cyclical influx of unwanted feelings and behaviors.
Keywords: ADHD, family, social relationships..
Resumen
El presente estudio se centra en comprender la posible interdependencia entre un diagnóstico de TDAH, la respuesta
al mismo entre los miembros de la familia, y cómo esto afecta bidireccionalmente las relaciones, el funcionamiento
y, en definitiva, la salud mental de todos los convivientes. El diseño metodológico es el de una revisión sistemática
siguiendo el protocolo PRISMA. Los estudios se analizaron mediante un enfoque cualitativo partiendo de un grupo
inicial de 143 trabajos, de los cuales diez se incluyeron en la muestra final. Los estudios seleccionados muestran una
clara tendencia a experimentar una emocionalidad negativa, lo que conduce a estilos parentales permisivos y/o au-
toritarios, lo que resulta en un aumento de la sintomatología clínica del niño afectado por TDAH y actúa como un
influjo cíclico de sentimientos y comportamientos no deseados.
Palabras clave: TDAH, familia, relaciones sociales.
How to cite this article (APA): Gallardo, H. C. (2026). Relationship between the child with ADHD and
the family environment: A systematic review. Revista Digital de Investigación y Postgrado, 7(13), 45-57
https://doi.org/10.59654/33k8a578
45
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Celia Gallardo Herrerías
University of Almería, Almería, Spain
Introduction
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) refers to a persistent pattern of inattention, impulsivity,
and hyperactivity that alters the normal functioning of the social, family, work, and/or school spheres
of the affected person, lasting for a period of more than six months (American Psychiatric Association,
2022).
From a clinical perspective, ADHD is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders with the highest pre-
valence in the child and adolescent population worldwide (at around 5%) although its incidence in
adulthood is more evident since the clinical picture can be confused with prototypical childhood be-
haviors (Berenguer et al., 2019; D’Onofrio & Emery, 2019).
To understand the scope of the ADHD presentation, it is necessary to refer to the analysis of its diag-
nostic journey, undertaken in the eighteenth century by the pediatricians and psychologists of the
time, who attributed to it a strong moralistic etiology linked to environmental factors and, especially,
to the parenting patterns developed within the family (Gómez & Ortiz, 2019) - a moral defect that
years later was complemented by the idea of minimal brain dysfunction, pointing to the alteration of
certain neuronal regions and synaptic connections as factors causing a symptomatic condition linked
to attention deficit., learning difficulties, excessive motor activity, and behavioral control problems.
Currently, a multifactorial etiological position is accepted in which both the genetic predisposition of
the person affected and the environmental features present in the social reference context play an
important role in the severity and symptomatology with which the disorder manifests itself (González
et al., 2022).
The etiological journey undertaken by ADHD over the years has been accompanied by multiple no-
menclatures ranging from minimal brain dysfunction, as previously mentioned, to the currently ac-
cepted attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. With the publication of the third edition of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), the new nomenclature of attention deficit hype-
ractivity disorder created another controversy regarding its symptomatology, as to whether it was de-
pendent on or unrelated to hyperactive patterns (Morales & Mosquera, 2022).
ADHD is also highly predisposed to presenting comorbidly with other mental disorders such as autism
spectrum disorders, tic disorders, depressive disorders, learning difficulties or language disorders,
among others, which aggravate the core symptomatology of the dominant and comorbid disorders.
Both ADHD and its recently accepted comorbid presentations listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V-TR) have acquired greater social visibility, facilitating new diag-
nostic instruments and treatment options thanks to scientific advances in the study of this neurops-
ychological condition (American Psychiatric Association, 2022).
On the other hand, the current way of socially understanding ADHD sets aside a reductionist and uni-
personal position as it is necessary to study this disorder as more than an individual health problem,
and rather one that is directly linked to the social and family sphere closest to the affected person,
capable of altering the patterns of socio-family functioning and the quality of life of the cohabitants
(Stadelmann et al., 2021). Nevertheless, living with a child who has ADHD can be experienced in very
diverse ways according to the social circumstances, the values or experience of family members, and
the social sphere closest to an analogous disorder (Urbano et al., 2022). Coexistence with a person
with ADHD affects the organization and the established family model in a two-way manner, requiring
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Relationship between the child with ADHD and the family environment: A systematic review
adjustments of varying significance in the personal and professional lives of the cohabitants so that
efforts are combined in response to the same purpose to improve the quality of life of all the figures
involved in the family nucleus.
The objective of the present study is to collect the available scientific evidence to determine the pos-
sible concomitance between ADHD and the family’s response to a diagnosis, the repercussions that
this situation has on the relationships and functioning of the household, and vice versa - that is to say,
how the attitudes of family members affect the clinical picture of ADHD - trying to determine if the
parental style conditions the disorder’s progression. The intention is to determine to what degree an
ADHD diagnosis influences the family dynamics, and vice versa, and how family functioning affects
the clinical development of a child with ADHD, taking into account the possible effects that parental
training can have on family responses. Specifically, the present review sets the following objectives:
(a) To know how family implication affects ADHD´s conditions. (b) To analyse if parental styles causes
any influence ADHD, and vice versa. (c) To identify the impact of ADHD diagnosis in parents' mental
health.
Method
In accordance with the set objectives, the method followed was based on developing a systematic
review to analyze the influence that ADHD-associated symptomatology has on the family environment
and how the family’s predisposition and parental styles affect the ADHD prognosis, the purpose being
to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. The systematic review presented here
searched bibliographic documents via the Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, PubMed, Redalyc, Scielo,
and Dialnet databases using attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, quality of life and family as des-
criptors in the title, abstract and/or keywords fields. These databases were chosen based on their in-
ternational recognition and prestige, as well as their direct link to the specific research content. After
searching, collecting, and selecting the articles considered most relevant to the study, we proceeded
to analyze them, extracting descriptive information and their main findings, from which we obtained
the evidence for the results.
Search procedures
An initial search of bibliographic documents published until 2023 was carried out via the Web of
Science (WOS), Scopus, PubMed, Redalyc, Scielo and Dialnet databases using attention deficit hype-
ractivity disorder, quality of life, and family as the descriptor combination. The initial search results
were limited to complete, open-access documents and restricted to the TDAH/ADHD and family ca-
tegories for works prepared in English or Spanish.
A total of ten articles were finally included (Figure 1) after being analyzed from two perspectives: on
the one hand, the descriptive information, and findings of the studies and, on the other, the quality
of the selected articles and the validity of the information they contained. To do this, the researchers
had to assess the articles’ eligibility with regards to the review objectives, highlighting thematic aspects
such as the impact of ADHD on the family and the bidirectional role of influence between mental
health, parental styles, quality of family life, and ADHD. Table 1 shows the literature search and selection
process using the PRISMA flowchart (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-
Analyses) for systematic reviews (Moher et al., 2009).
47
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48
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart
Note: Own elaboration (2025).
Selection of studies: inclusion and exclusion criteria
To select the articles related to the topic under study, a series of inclusion criteria were established.
These criteria were: (A) research articles or empirical studies, (B) non-duplicated articles, (C) work fo-
cused on studying the implications that the diagnosis of a case with ADHD generates on the family
household, as well as the effects that family dynamics have on the course of the ADHD, (D) documents
published from 1990-2024. Likewise, in this study, the search focusing on articles published in peer-
reviewed journals, excluding communications, theses, and book chapters. These inclusion criteria were
essential since they allowed us to focus attention on studying the repercussions that an ADHD diag-
nosis has on the family environment and how the affected person and family members see their emo-
tional state altered in a bidirectional way.
Similarly, articles were excluded based on the following exclusion criteria: (A) Book chapters, theses,
and conference proceedings, (B) duplicated studies, (C) research outside of the study of ADHD and
its repercussions on family life, (D) Studies not published in peer-reviewed journals, (E) Reports or edi-
torial comments without original data, (F) Studies with ethical issues in their conduct.
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Relationship between the child with ADHD and the family environment: A systematic review
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Results
Identification of the selected publications
The articles identified in this section cover different research studies focused on analyzing the impact
that an ADHD diagnosis has on the family environment and, reciprocally, how managing and living
with a child with ADHD affects the parents’ mental health and parenting patterns, detailing a panorama
of confluent factors such as an increase in the state of tension, stress, changes in the parents’ own
perception of their role and its effectiveness, modifications in family dynamics, and parental styles. Al-
terations in the cognitive and behavioral functioning of children with ADHD impact coexistence in the
family sphere as they require almost continuous attention; this compromises the mental health not
only of the parents but also of siblings and any other cohabitants, causing serious disturbances in
overall family functioning.
In this regard, the information collected is structured following a sequence that starts from training
for positive parenting in a family affected by ADHD, analyzing the parental styles and dynamics and
their reciprocal influence on ADHD, and ending with a study of the effects that the ADHD diagnosis,
and living with a person who has it, have on one’s emotional state, on experiencing stress, and on the
prevalence of other psychopathogens.
Description of the included items
The family is the first social agent with which the child comes into contact. In addition to the family
being a complex system of interrelationships - conjugal, filial, and fraternal - it is a sphere of reference
for the growth and integral development of all its members. That is why this phenomenon is studied
as a whole, where each party will be influenced bilaterally. Thus, the behavioral alterations associated
with one of its members having ADHD will affect the entire family system, changing the way relations-
hips form, handling the behavior of the affected person, and exercising parenting styles oriented to-
wards finding mental balance and social management of the disorder (Agha et al., 2020).
In many cases, the lack of support and advice given to the relatives of these children with ADHD se-
riously hinders their self-perception and ability to cope with such an anomalous parenting situation.
Therefore, it is fundamentally important to develop skills for appropriate parenting in cases where fa-
milies have a member with ADHD, not only to minimize the impact that the child’s diagnosis has on
the family’s functionality and the relationships between cohabitants, but also to help stimulate the
child’s overall development. In this sense, the results of the study carried out by Andrades et al. (2019)
corroborate how a lack of information and training considerably conditions the family's ability to help
their child with ADHD, compromising the consistency of their parenting style. In this research, three
families with ADHD children participated and the information was obtained through interviews.
Along the same lines, Fabra (2021) considers that the training of family members and legal guardians
responsible for children with ADHD helps to address the disorder more positively, providing tools and
information to understand the real needs of the affected person; this was evidenced in the results ob-
tained after applying a training intervention program. The study sought to demonstrate the effecti-
veness of a six-week family intervention program, observing significant improvements in family
relationships and the home environment. The parental behavioral training program was a key tool in
changing the educational style, making it more respectful and understanding of those affected, while
reflecting a more friendly and relaxed environment rather than one that was disciplinarian.
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De la Rosa (2019) obtained results that did not accord with those of Andrades et al. (2019) and Fabra
(2021). In this case, no significant evidence was observed before and after parental participation in a
psychoeducational workshop on ADHD. A total of 80 family members participated, each living with a
person with ADHD. Referencing the results, the same author concedes that possibly the workshop
failed to adjust sufficiently to the training needs of the participants (See Figure 2).
Figure 2
Evolution of family intervention
Note: Own elaboration (2025).
It is important to note that, when trying to manage the behavioral patterns of the disorder, parents
begin to manifest very varied adaptive responses. These are determined by various factors associated
with the severity of the pathological presentation, their training in this disorder, their perception of
the parental role, and their patience - the most recurrent being parental patterns associated with ex-
cessive permissiveness or excessive rigidity (Morales & Mosquera, 2022; Orjales, 2019). Family dynamics
and parental styles will directly affect the manifestation and clinical progression of ADHD, with the ex-
treme positions being dysfunctional to positive parenting while also being detrimental to the disorder’s
prognosis. Among other factors, this is because usual discipline methods are less effective or totally
ineffective in children with ADHD given the difficulties, they have in inhibiting impulsive responses or
obeying parental orders. This then generates coercive and unconscious disciplinary procedures by
the parents while triggering a negative understanding of their own parental roles. Therefore, it is hard
to identify a unidirectional and unique parental style in families who have children with ADHD. Indeed,
many types of emotional reactions to a diagnosis can be observed, such as disapproval of the disorder,
rejecting one’s responsibility to address it, and attributing it to malpractice on the part of the various
specialists (typical of a permissive parenting pattern) or marked overprotection that takes away the
autonomy of someone affected by this pathology in terms of their maturational development (Romero,
2022).
Castiblanco et al. (2020) shows in their study how the immature and dysfunctional behavior of the
parents affects the development of relational situations as well as the family dynamics, with this effect
remaining latent in the results after applying the Family Apgar Instrument.
The risk factors associated with the course of ADHD are multiple. Furthermore, it is probable that dif-
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ferent variables interact, giving rise to the disorder’s symptoms evolving either positively or negatively.
However, in this case, the family environment (especially the nuclear family) negatively impacts the
child’s development and their symptoms, factors affecting the severity of the ADHD (Segura, 2019).
Following on from these ideas, Patiño and Martínez (2020) investigated how these family influences
affected a specific case, reflecting on how the parenting difficulties arising from having a child with
ADHD impacted the immediate environment, generating mismatches and imbalances among all the
members of the nuclear family. This is due to ignorance regarding the ineffectiveness of traditional
educational guidelines to channel these children’s behavior. Consequently, a failure to sufficiently adjust
the parental styles to the needs of the child with ADHD leads to the parents feeling guilty when faced
with setbacks and failed attempts to control their child’s behavior. Moreover, this is a dysfunctional
parenting practice, which aggravates the disorder’s symptomatology, making it difficult for the child
to establish social relationships with peers because the negative parenting style provides an inadequate
socialization model. This mechanism, resulting from a family psychopathology in which the members
are overcome by despair or frustration, has a direct effect on the child’s disruptive and antisocial be-
havioral manifestations, which are aggravated in a reciprocal way. In short, parenting skills significantly
interfere with the etiopathogenesis of a child with ADHD, and while the challenging behavior of ADHD
negatively impacts the parents´ emotional state, such behavioral problems in the child can be lessened
by improving parental skills. For Patiño and Martínez (2020), the way the parenting style is addressed
becomes one of the best predictors of ADHD prognosis, distinguishing between the passive role or
active role that the parent assumes in a stressful or threatening situation. Therefore, when evaluating
the impact on the family of having a child with ADHD, one must focus attention not only on the af-
fected person’s age, sex, core symptomatology, and the comorbidity of their pathological presentation,
but also on the parents’ skills and abilities in managing the disorder, their educational style, and the
expectations generated by their parental role, all of these being determining factors in them expe-
riencing anxiety, stress, guilt, depression, and dissatisfaction (Patiño & Martínez, 2020).
To the unsuitability of permissive or authoritarian parenting styles, Freitas et al. (2019) add the influence
of the parents' mental health as a significant determinant in the clinical progression of ADHD. Accor-
ding to them, low self-esteem and feelings of guilt have repercussions on the emotional development
of a child with ADHD, generating a whirlwind of feelings of failure and frustration, as well as negative
interactions that will threaten the psychological and emotional stability of both the family and the
child. Among the multiple instruments used in their study are the Parenting Styles Inventory and the
Short Measure for Assessing the Quality of Life, the results of which indicate how ADHD directly affects
the conjugal relationship, destabilizing it, and even leading to its breakdown due to a lack of consensus
in understanding and managing the disorder. Thus, feelings associated with dissatisfaction and inef-
fectiveness regarding parental styles are recurrent in families that have children with ADHD, fostering
a vicious circle of negative interactions and dysfunctional educational practices in which the supervision
of tasks is abandoned, either out of frustration or desperation, when faced with the ineffectiveness of
their actions (Fabra, 2021).
Although experiencing stress is part of the parenting process of any child, Zambrano et al. (2020)
have confirmed how high levels of parental stress are linked to oppositional behavioral patterns, im-
pulsivity, hyperactivity, and other types of behavioral problems. This indicator is also a certain predictor
of psychological well-being and the status of mental health. Therefore, it is an issue of vital importance
given that experiencing high levels of stress in the family household involves the parents having a ne-
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gative perception of their own capacity to implement appropriate interventions and treatments to
care for their child with ADHD. Likewise, the study identified how reducing parental stress favors more
effective management of the children’s problematic behaviors, reflected in a more positive and de-
mocratic parental style. Their study, which used the CMAS-R anxiety scale, consisted of a large parti-
cipant sample (302 subjects) including both children with ADHD and their families (See Figure 3).
Figure 3
Parental stress levels and their influence on ADHD
Note: Own elaboration (2025).
Agha et al. (2020) endorse the idea that the distinct behaviors and personalities of the children directly
influence the family dynamics, showing in their empirical study the degree to which the children’s
hyperactive and impulsive behaviors caused tension and anxiety among the family members. In this
way, greater symbiosis between attitudes related to affability, respect for rules, discipline, and self-
control would predictably occur compared to the non-ADHD control group. Thus, there is a correlation
between anxiety states, parental social distress, negative discipline, and the severity of the clinical ma-
nifestation of ADHD. In addition, these factors were linked to poorer social functioning and a marked
decrease in the quality of life of both the parents and the other family members.
In this research line, Insa (2020) reports a higher psychopathological prevalence rate in parents who
have children with ADHD compared to those who have children with no disorder, the most common
being personality disorders and affective disorders. Parents of children with ADHD are more predis-
posed to experiencing some type of mental disorder, either due to parenting or due to academic and
social difficulties concomitant with the pathology. However, depending on the age of the parents, the
presence of personality disorders would almost certainly predate having children with ADHD. Not
acknowledging that parents can have psychopathology prior to having children with ADHD negates
the bidirectional nature of ADHD and psychopathology, and the fact that in the bio-psycho-social
model, genetics and other factors are present before a child is born with ADHD. Their results showed
that, in the 115 families interviewed, there was a clear tendency towards psychopathogenic manifes-
tations in family members living with someone with ADHD compared to those in the control group.
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The challenging and demanding nature of children with ADHD often generates conflicts in the family
household, affecting the psychological functioning of the parents and their affective relationship. The
couple’s bond is clearly altered when feelings of low self-esteem, dissatisfaction, and doubts about
their parental capacity are put to the test, fostering a model of difficult coexistence that affects all the
family members (Patiño and Martínez, 2020).
Mental health, quality of life, and the family support one receives decisively influence parental practices,
as demonstrated by Berenguer et al. (2019). They point to the importance of emotional support groups
aimed at and extending to family members. Regardless of the family characteristics, the diagnosis of
a child with ADHD is complex, requiring constant advice and support to understand and try to manage
this pathology in the most appropriate way possible, in the search for a specialized and comprehensive
treatment response. Becoming parents of a child with ADHD demands a high emotional and personal
investment, not only in terms of the daily attention given to the child but also in terms of protection
and stimulation to enhance their optimal level of development. Therefore, planning and carrying out
those household tasks unrelated to attending to the child with ADHD can be somewhat arduous, ma-
king parenting difficult while neglecting the couple’s relationship (Quintero et al., 2021). In addition,
being exposed to constant social criticism due to the inappropriate behavior of a child with ADHD
usually translates into self-exclusion from situations of social exchange for fear of being rejected or
pointed out by other families (Insa, 2020). At the same time, the training received about the disorder
will help parents adopt a parenting style that is more understanding of the needs and particularities
of their child with ADHD, mitigating their feelings of guilt and frustration when faced with failed be-
havioral control attempts (Zheng, 2019).
Discussion and conclusions
This systematic review comprises a total of 10 articles which address the bidirectional influence that
an ADHD diagnosis has on both the functioning and the mental health of family members, and how
these affect the disorder’s clinical progression. More specifically, it has attempted to fulfil the following
objectives:
(a) To know how family implication affects ADHD´s conditions
Regarding this first objective, the study highlights the beneficial effect of training family members and
other social entities, both in terms of the clinical progression of the child affected by ADHD and in pro-
viding tools to help parents manage this disorder more effectively. Indeed, the participation of family
members in training processes has been shown to have a positive influence, not only in terms of greater
knowledge and better management of the intra-family situation, but also the positive influences on
the participants’ mental health, helping them to release tension and reduce their frustration. In this
way, the feelings and attitudes of the parents lead to greater positivity and patience towards their chil-
dren with ADHD. Likewise, when parents of children with ADHD participate in training processes, this
brings significant inter- and intra-family social life benefits, improving coexistence, the relationships
between siblings, and the friendship between the parents themselves (Andrades et al., 2019).
(b) To analyse if parental styles causes any influence ADHD, and vice versa
As for the second objective, the role that the family plays in the care and protection of the child is in-
disputable, even requiring the different cohabitants to restructure their roles in order to respond as
appropriately as possible to the child’s needs. Exercising a positive parenting style is conditioned by
the parents’ ability to deal with the disruptive behaviors of their child with respect and understanding.
All this pressure seems to fall exclusively on the couple and the other family members, who experience
recurrent feelings of being abandoned by the voluntary and health sectors, and even by the educa-
tional institutions.
In contrast, training, visibility, and social awareness of this disorder help generate more empathetic
social networks within which families can feel supported and understood. Support from these entities
will determine an early parental response that is more effective and better adjusted to the needs of
the child with ADHD, also determining the progression of the disorder (Patiño & Martínez, 2020). Un-
doubtedly, this is a difficult challenge given the ineffectiveness of traditional disciplinary methods that
only exacerbate situations and lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety, stress, and a negative self-perception
of the parental role.
The different family dynamics either positively or negatively influence the evolution of the clinical pic-
ture of ADHD, although they are mostly self-destructive, given the problems to manage the symptoms,
and to some extent due to a lack of information and support. Thus, parents of children with ADHD
tend to be less permissive and stricter compared to parents of children without this disorder, with a
certain recurrence towards temperamental responses and coping strategies being observed. These
lead to social isolation and frustration due, in part, to a negative self-perception of their own parenting.
The more disrupted the family social sphere, the greater the likelihood of developing an authoritarian
and punitive parental style marked by rigidity and rejection of challenging behaviors. Moreover, these
factors significantly influence the marital bond, impacting on the parenting styles, which become pre-
dominantly punitive, thus increasing the already latent aggressiveness and impulsivity of the child in
a negative way. Conversely, proactive parenting encourages behavioral modelling by reinforcing po-
sitive behaviors, helping the affected person to self-regulate and as to suppress inappropriate conduct
(De la Rosa, 2019).
(c) To identify the impact of ADHD diagnosis in parents' mental health
In response to the last of the study objectives, after analyzing the results, we consider how the maels-
trom of family attitudes and feelings affects the symptomatic progression of ADHD in a bidirectional
way. The experiencing of emotional imbalances between the spouses related to depression, stress,
anxiety, or frustration when carrying out their parental functions aggravates the child’s behavior and
may alter the relational bonds between the different cohabitants, especially those of the couple, ending
in many cases in separation or divorce (D’Onofrio & Emery, 2019).
Unlike families that do not have children diagnosed with ADHD, parents that do are subjected to grea-
ter physical and psychological strains from having to deal publicly with the disruptive behaviors of
their child. These are accompanied by a series of conflicts linked to the child’s academic difficulties or
the demands of a social environment unrelated to the disorder’s clinical characteristics. Thus, this
maelstrom of emotionality converges bidirectionally to affect the progress and behaviors of the child
with ADHD, causing serious mental imbalances in their relatives and even leading to the presentation
of psychopathologies.
Being the child’s main agents of reference, the family members play a fundamental role in this regard,
with their mental imbalances, commonly associated with depression, causing acute setbacks in the child’s
clinical picture while also affecting the mental health of all the household members (Agha et al., 2020;
Berenguer et al., 2019). Thus, the characteristics of the family sphere and the child with ADHD influence
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Relationship between the child with ADHD and the family environment: A systematic review
each other in such a way that the lack of parental skills, ineffective and incoherent parenting practices,
or marital dysfunction condition the expression and course of the ADHD (D’Onofrio & Emery, 2019).
Finally, it should be noted that the present study has certain limitations due to the scarcity of published
research regarding ADHD and its repercussions on coexistence. The recent emergence and growing
visibility of ADHD has brought with it the need to expand and update the research on this neurode-
velopmental disorder and its vulnerabilities. The present study has sought to delve into this area of
knowledge and give an overview of its implications in the family context, reaffirming the bidirectional
effect of the ADHD-progenitor influence. According to the results, the lack of training and information
that characterizes the family response is undoubtedly an aspect of vital importance since it determines
both the clinical progression of the ADHD and the mental health of all those living with an affected
person. As we have indicated, family training is fundamental to being able to respond efficiently to
the needs of a child with ADHD without becoming filled with guilt and hopelessness.
In addition to providing an overview of ADHD and how it affects the immediate family, we believe
that this analysis of the literature will help provide a more complete understanding of the disorder
and the erroneous parenting styles that result, giving readers who find themselves in a similar situation
a more appropriate way to manage it and to empower them by feeling accompanied throughout this
process. It will also encourage future researchers to advance in this field of study.
Undoubtedly, the family sphere plays a primary role in this disorder’s identification and development,
thus requiring the acquisition of a series of skills related to patience and assertiveness to ensure positive
and proactive parenting. In this way, parents can come to understand the challenging nature of their
child’s behavior as an effect of the disorder’s clinical symptomatology rather than as an arbitrary de-
cision adopted voluntarily by the child (Zheng, 2019).
Privacy: Not applicable.
Statement on the use of artificial intelligence: The author of this article declare that we did not
use Artificial Intelligence in its preparation.
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Date of article receipt: July 14, 2025
Date of article acceptance: August 25, 2025
Date approved for layout: September 1, 2025
Date of publication: January 10, 2026
Notes on the author
* Celia Gallardo Herrerías holds a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master's Degree in Special Education,
and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Almería: Almería, Spain. She has been a guest professor at the Catholic
University of Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador, and for the Miami Department of Parks and Recreation, United States. She
is the author of the work Research on Educational Attention and Comorbidity in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Furthermore,
she is a lecturer and co-author of research articles in various international scientific journals. She works as a professor in
the Education Department of the University of Almería: Almería, Spain. Email: cgh188@ual.es
