A sequential analysis of the mother-adolescent interactions of ADHD, ADHD/ODD, and normal teenagers during neutral and conflict discussions.

The sequential interactions of three groups of teenagers conversing with their mothers during both neutral and conflict discussion situations were evaluated. Groups consisted of (1) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) alone (n = 21), (2) ADHD with comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ADHD/ODD; n = 40), and (3) a community control group of adolescents (n = 49). All groups had been followed concurrently for the past 8 to 10 years before being reevaluated in this study. Results indicated that (1) teens and parents in all groups interacted in a tightly linked manner, with the behavior of each member being significantly related only to the immediate antecedent behavior of the other; (2) mothers in all groups were more likely than teens to initiate positive behaviors; (3) teen interactions could be characterized as tit-for-tat while mothers could be typified as be-nice-and-forgive; (4) mother-teen dyads in the ADHD/ODD group displayed significantly higher rates of conflict behaviors than dyads in the other two groups, who did not differ significantly from each other on most measures; and (5) mothers in the ADHD/ODD group responded in a manner similar to their teens (greater negativity) and less like that of mothers in the other groups. The majority of conflict between ADHD children and their parents seemed due to comorbid ODD and such ODD is a family, not just a teen, characteristic.