Abstract
The study is a preliminary investigation of the relationship between psychological distress and coping in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The specific questions addressed are: 1) whether children with ADHD experience higher levels of psychological distress than other children; 2) whether children with ADHD differ from other children in the coping responses they use to deal with a common school stressor; and 3) whether there is an association between coping responses used and levels of psychological distress reported by children with the disorder. A cross-sectional mixed design is employed comparing three groups of children (N = 75) aged 8-11 years: children with ADHD, children with developmental reading disorder (Dyslexia) and normal achievers, attending mainstream junior schools, on self-reported measures of psychological distress (anxiety and depression) and coping. In response to the questions addressed, the findings revealed that: 1) children with ADHD had higher levels of psychological distress than children without the disorder; 2) children with ADHD were less likely to use active coping responses - including cognitive restructuring and problem-solving to deal with a common school stressor; and 3) that increased levels of psychological distress in children with ADHD were related, in part, to inadequate use of coping responses. The findings are discussed in terms of a model for the development of psychological distress in children with ADHD and their clinical implications for assessment and treatment of children with the disorder.