Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Brent Robbins

Abstract

Research has captured a notable increase in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States. This increase in ADHD diagnosis is also seen in children in military communities. A gap in the literature exists regarding how military deployment affects the presentation of ADHD symptoms of children aged 3 to 15 in military families. The study examined the effect of military deployment status on children aged 3 to 15 with symptoms of ADHD. Participants were 164 military families, representative of the diversity of the military, from military bases around Southern California. Each participant responded to 2 questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire and the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Patient Rating Scale for parents. The independent variable was military deployment status (deployment > 6 months, deployment < 6 months, or no deployment) within the previous 48 months. The dependent variable was ADHD symptoms. The covariates were ethnicity, family structure, and parents-age. Results of chi-square and hierarchical logistic regression analyses showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between parents-deployment status and ADHD symptoms of children. When covariates were added to the model, only older parental age predicted higher levels of symptoms in children. Results may be used to educate all involved parties and provide effective strategies, to enhance social development, and to compensate for periods of absence.

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