The meaning of the experience of parenting a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

This phenomenological study reveals the meaning of the experience of parenting a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The research participants were six parents who were contacted through a local community based support group or by professional referral. The methodology used for this study was a descriptive qualitative research process with a phenomenological design. Hermeneutic phenomenology as described by van Manen (1990) provided the method of inquiry and analysis for this study. Participants were asked to participate in open-ended, audiotaped interviews describing their subjective experience of parenting. Five essential themes emerged from the analysis of the participants' narrative descriptions.