Development and Effectiveness of a Micro-Psychoeducation Program for Parents of Children With ADHD in Disaster Situations

Summary

Abstract

Disasters are among the major crisis situations that adversely affect children's psychological well-being, emotional regulation, and adaptation. Children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are considered particularly vulnerable during disasters because they are more likely to experience heightened anxiety, behavioral dysregulation, trauma-related symptoms, and difficulties adapting to rapidly changing environments. Effective parental support and appropriate psychosocial interventions are therefore essential for promoting resilience and facilitating recovery in this high-risk population.

Evidence suggests that disaster-related experiences may exacerbate emotional and behavioral difficulties among children with ADHD, especially when continuity of care and family support are disrupted. Parent-focused psychoeducation has been shown to strengthen parenting competencies, improve parent-child interactions, reduce behavioral difficulties, and increase parental confidence in managing challenging situations. Likewise, structured parent-training programs have demonstrated positive effects on family functioning, stress reduction, and children's behavioral outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of developing disaster-specific interventions that equip parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to support their children before, during, and after emergencies. Furthermore, the region in which this study will be conducted is located in an area with a high risk of natural disasters, particularly earthquakes, highlighting the practical significance of the research.

This study will employ a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design to evaluate the effectiveness of a micro-psychoeducation program developed for parents of children with ADHD in disaster situations. The study sample will include at least 60 parents assigned to intervention and control groups. The psychoeducation program will consist of five structured sessions addressing disaster preparedness, crisis communication, behavioral management during emergencies, emotional regulation strategies, and post-disaster recovery. The intervention will be delivered by a researcher who is an authorized regional disaster trainer and has advanced academic and professional experience in disaster management and therapeutic interventions, in collaboration with child and adolescent psychiatry specialists. Data will be collected using the Personal Information Form, the Revised Berkeley Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale, and the Conners Parent Rating Scale.

Developing a structured disaster-focused psychoeducation program for parents of children with ADHD is expected to address an important clinical and public health need. The intervention is anticipated to improve parents' disaster preparedness, knowledge, awareness, and coping skills while strengthening their ability to support their children during disaster-related crises. Ultimately, the program is expected to contribute to reducing anxiety, stress, behavioral problems, and psychological distress among children with ADHD, thereby promoting healthier family adaptation and resilience throughout the disaster management process.

Conditions

• Parent Training
• Psychoeducation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

articipants in the intervention group received the micro-psychoeducation program.

Psychoeducation Intervention Program The micro-psychoeducation program developed within the scope of this research is structured in accordance with the modern disaster management approach and encompasses the phases of pre-disaster preparedness, disaster-time intervention, and post-disaster recovery. The program consists of five sessions that include behavioral and emotional reactions in disaster situations, effective parent-child communication during crises, behavior regulation techniques, emotional regulation, and disaster preparedness practices. In addition, the program aims to strengthen coping and recovery skills to support the psychosocial well-being of both the child and the parent in the post-disaster period. Within this framework, the sessions are organized as follows: Session 1: Behavioral and Emotional Reactions of Children with ADHD in Disaster Situations (awareness and preparedness foundation) Session 2: Disaster Preparedness Processes and Family Disaster Planning (risk

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Max Age

12 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-10-15

Primary Completion

2026-12-15

Completion

2027-05-15