Saudi mothers' perception of their children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in Dammam, Al-Qatif, and Al-Khobar cities, Saudi Arabia

Background: Mothers' perceptions about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are central to the management of the disorder. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of mothers with ADHD children toward ADHD and identify their common sources of information and service barriers from the perspectives of these mothers in the Dammam, AI-Khobar, and Al-Qatif areas.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study comprised mothers of 132 children with ADHD who attended private and government sector special education schools and day-care centers in the Al-Khobar, Dammam, and Al-Qatif cities of Saudi Arabia. All the mothers completed self-administered structured questionnaires.

Results: About 47% mothers of children with ADHD had poor knowledge of ADHD, 74.2% had a positive attitude toward the condition, and 51.5% had a neutral perception of their children. Most of the children received combined therapy, with 69.5% exhibiting improved behavior. The most common concern of mothers was fear of the side effects of medication (39.4%). The mothers were the first family members to seek advice; the most common reason for first visit to clinic were poor social skills (45.5%), and attention hyperactive aggressive behavior (45.5%). The most common reason for the delay in diagnosis was failure to recognize the child's aberrant behavior (67.4%), whereas the most common source of information was internet (63.6%).

Conclusion: It is important for clinicians to address the mothers' perceptions of ADHD as part of the treatment for ADHD to improve the children's quality of life. It is also important to develop educational materials and awareness campaigns that target mothers and facilitate good communication between the services through the social media.