Disruptive behavior in preschoolers: associations with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and parental psychopathology

Abstract Background Disruptive behavior in preschoolers is considered normative under certain circumstances; however sometimes it may be a sign of both internalizing and externalizing disorders. This study aimed to investigate the associations among children’s disruptive behavior scale scores, child ADHD symptom scores, and parents’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores. Methods Participants were recruited from preschools in two central districts of Denizli, Türkiye. We assessed disruptive behavior with the Multidimensional Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior, child ADHD symptoms using the ADHD Rating Scale-IV Preschool Version, and parental psychopathology with the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. We used multivariate linear regression to examine the associations between candidate predictors and the dependent variables. Results 24.7% of mothers reported prenatal stress exposure, and the most common reason for prenatal stress was financial stress in the study. The child’s hyperactivity/impulsivity scores were associated with increased scores for Temper Loss, Noncompliance, Aggression and Low Concern, while inattention scores were associated with increased scores for Aggression and Noncompliance. The child’s chronic health condition was associated with Temper Loss. Parental stress scores were associated with all of the disruptive behavior dimension scores; however, parental depression and anxiety scores were not significantly associated with any of the disruptive behavior dimension scores. Conclusions Comprehending the factors that may be associated with disruptive behavior may be reached for early intervention to preschoolers at risk. Clinical trial number Not applicable.