Dyadic coping among adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Little attention has been given to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and its impact on marital functioning. This is in spite of large amounts of anecdotal and some recent empirical evidence suggesting adults with AD/HD are more likely to divorce and have marital dysfunction. The current study assessed the impact of AD/HD on the process of marital coping and marital satisfaction. Hypotheses asserted that affected couples will display poorer overall satisfaction and coping as compared to control couples. Furthermore, dyadic coping would mediate the relationship between AD/HD and lower satisfaction. Analyses suggest that AD/HD couples report significantly poorer satisfaction and coping than control couples, as well as increased symptoms of depression. Furthermore, coping does not seem to account for the relationship between AD/HD and satisfaction. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.