A comparative study: quality of life, self-competence, and self-liking among the caregivers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other non-ADHD children

BACKGROUND: The presence of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) causes great impairment in social and professional activities as well as in the quality of life (QOL) and increases level of parental stress. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the QOL, self-competence, and self-liking among the caregivers of ADHD and non-ADHD children. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 216 caregivers. They were divided into two groups: caregivers of children with ADHD and caregivers of children without ADHD. SETTING: This study was conducted in the Elsinbellawin City at Dakahlia Governorate in Egypt. Tools used were socio-demographic data sheet and WHO Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQOL-Brief) and self-liking/self-competence scale. RESULTS: Our results showed that all QOL dimensions of the caregivers of ADHD children were markedly deteriorated, if compared to those of non-ADHD children, and two thirds of caregivers of ADHD children suffered from poor level quality of life (QOL). Caregivers of non-ADHD children had fair level of self-competence but a good level of self-liking. Caregiver of ADHD children who had no work or history of medical diseases has a fair level of QOL and self-competence but a good level of self-liking. CONCLUSIONS: We found that caregivers of ADHD children have fair levels of QOL, self-liking, and self-competence, if compared to those of non-ADHD children. There are statistically significant correlations between QOL, self-competence, and self-liking among both caregivers of both non-ADHD children and ADHD children.