JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Family management plays a critical role in the development and rehabilitation of children with ADHD. Clarifying the interrelationships among dimensions within the family management structure is essential for informing targeted family-based interventions and improving family management capacity. However, research examining the internal structure of family management in ADHD remains limited. To explore the interrelationships among dimensions within the family management structure of children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using network analysis, and to compare differences across family structures. A total of 426 caregivers of children with ADHD in Shanghai, China, were included. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Family Management Measure , the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Zarit Burden Interview. Network analysis was conducted using the R package bootnet, and group differences were examined using the Network Comparison Test package. The study assessed associations, centrality, and differences in network structure, nodes, and edges across different family types. Family Life Difficulty emerged as the core dimension in the family management network, with extensive connections to other dimensions.Subgroup analyses indicated that, compared with one-child families, multiple-children families showed isolation of self-efficacy, along with strengthened associations among caregiver burden, View of Family Impact, and Family Life Difficulty. Relative to nuclear families, condition management effort played a more central role within extended families. Family Life Difficulty occupies a central position in the family management structure of children with ADHD. Network comparison analyses revealed significant structural differences between one-child and multiple-children families, as well as between nuclear and extended families. These findings provide important directions for the development of targeted family-based interventions.

Objective:

To explore the interrelationships among dimensions within the family management structure of children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using network analysis, and to compare differences across family structures.

Methods:

A total of 426 caregivers of children with ADHD in Shanghai, China, were included. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Family Management Measure , the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Zarit Burden Interview. Network analysis was conducted using the R package bootnet, and group differences were examined using the Network Comparison Test package. The study assessed associations, centrality, and differences in network structure, nodes, and edges across different family types.

Results:

Family Life Difficulty emerged as the core dimension in the family management network, with extensive connections to other dimensions.Subgroup analyses indicated that, compared with one-child families, multiple-children families showed isolation of self-efficacy, along with strengthened associations among caregiver burden, View of Family Impact, and Family Life Difficulty. Relative to nuclear families, condition management effort played a more central role within extended families.

Conclusions:

Family Life Difficulty occupies a central position in the family management structure of children with ADHD. Network comparison analyses revealed significant structural differences between one-child and multiple-children families, as well as between nuclear and extended families. These findings provide important directions for the development of targeted family-based interventions.