The Relationship Between Parental Affective Temperament Traits and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Symptoms in Children With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated the relationship between parental affective temperaments and the oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) symptoms of children with ADHD. METHOD The sample consisted of 542 treatment-naive children with ADHD and their biological parents. Children were assessed via both parent- and teacher-rated behavioral disorder scales. Parental affective temperament and ADHD symptoms were measured by self-report inventories. The relationships between psychiatric variables were evaluated using structural equation modeling. RESULTS According to parent-rated behavioral disorder scales, paternal cyclothymic and maternal irritable temperaments were associated with ODD scores, and maternal depressive temperament was associated with CD scores. In terms of teacher-rated behavioral disorder scales, maternal anxious temperament was associated with ODD scores, and paternal cyclothymic and maternal depressive temperaments were associated with CD scores. CONCLUSION These results suggest that certain parental affective temperaments are related to an increase in symptoms of disruptive behavioral disorders in children with ADHD.