Parental Barriers in Seeking Mental Health Services for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: Systematic Review
Amani Kappi, Michelle M. Martel
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Many children at risk for negative outcomes related to untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not receive necessary mental healthcare. Parents' mental health-seeking behavior is important in the early identification of ADHD and preventing comorbidities with ADHD. Parents may experience some barriers that may delay or stop parents from seeking mental healthcare for their children. METHOD: This systematic review summarized existing evidence of parents' barriers to seeking mental healthcare for their children at risk of ADHD. RESULTS: This review included 21 studies that address different parental barriers under the three levels of the social-ecological model, including individual, interpersonal, and community levels. CONCLUSION: Raising parents' awareness of the process of seeking mental healthcare has the potential to help identify children at risk for ADHD earlier. Developing psychoeducational intervention that improves parents' seeking behavior and reduces barriers toward seeking mental healthcare is needed.