Project team members:

• Prof. Anamarija Žic Ralić, PhD
• Prof. Ana Wagner Jakab, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Anja Mirosavljević, PhD
• Marijana Vrankić Pavon, assistant

The aim of the project is to examine the psychosocial functioning and quality of life of individuals with ADHD, as well as parenting children with ADHD. Through five additional objectives, the project will explore differences in psychosocial functioning and quality of life before and after receiving a diagnosis, differences in functioning between men and women with ADHD, the role of compensatory strategies, and the relationship between parental attributions, parenting dimensions, and behavioral problems in children with ADHD. Insight into the experience of parental competence and parental roles, as well as the need for professional support, will be gained in the qualitative part of the study with parents who have ADHD and also have a child with ADHD. The research will rely on a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, and will be conducted on a clinical sample of adults with suspected ADHD (N = 100), a non-probabilistic sample of parents of children with ADHD (N = 100), and their children with ADHD (N = 100). Instruments with strong psychometric properties will be used, along with the development of a new scale for compensatory strategies. The qualitative component will include semi-structured interviews and a focus group. The expected scientific contribution lies in the validation of complex models that include mediators and moderators, the introduction of a gender-sensitive perspective, and presenting the voices of adults and parents with ADHD. The project will enable the development of more effective assessments and interventions tailored to the real needs of adults with ADHD and their families.

Most previous research on ADHD has focused on childhood, while the functioning of adults with ADHD remains insufficiently explored, particularly in the Croatian context. This project systematically investigates the psychological functioning of adults with ADHD, with a specific focus on executive functions, mental health, quality of life, and parenting behavior.

Within the theoretical framework of Barkley’s model of executive functioning, the project examines the contribution of executive functions to parenting dimensions, psychological adjustment, and everyday functioning in adults with ADHD. The project includes the development and/or adaptation of assessment instruments for measuring executive functions, symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, compensatory strategies, and quality of life in adulthood, thereby establishing an important methodological foundation for future research and clinical practice in Croatia.

A particular scientific contribution lies in testing an integrative model of parenting in which parental attributions predict child behavior problems, with parenting dimensions acting as mediators and the level of ADHD symptoms as a moderator. An additional strength of the project is the inclusion of child outcome assessments from both the parent’s and the child’s perspective, providing a more comprehensive understanding of family processes and children’s perceptions of their own competencies and challenges.

The qualitative component offers an in-depth insight into the everyday challenges faced by parents with ADHD, their self-regulation strategies, interpretations of child behavior, and their subjective experience of the parenting role. For the first time in Croatia, experiences of parenting among adults with ADHD are systematically explored, creating a foundation for the development of targeted support services and new research directions in this field.

The project’s findings will contribute to improving the assessment of adults suspected of having ADHD and to the development of evidence-based support programs for adults with ADHD and families of children with ADHD in Croatia. In this way, the project bridges theoretical knowledge, empirical research, and practical implications in the field of mental health and family support.