Parenting Intellectually Gifted/ADHD Children: A Qualitative Exploration of Parental Self-Efficacy and Its Influential Factors

Parental self-efficacy may serve as a protective factor against parental stress among parents of intellectually gifted/ADHD children. In this study, we aimed to describe perceived parental self-efficacy, along with its developmental and influential factors, within this population. Using a qualitative exploratory design, 11 parents ( M age = 42.4 years; SD = 4.9; 5 mothers) of intellectually gifted/ADHD children ( M age = 12 years; SD = 2.4; 6 boys) participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis allowed us to structure the data into three axes: (1) general parenting experiences with intellectually gifted/ADHD children, highlighting both challenges and positive aspects; (2) perceived ups and downs of parental self-efficacy, including elements that contributed to a sense of efficacy and those associated with a perceived lack thereof; and (3) perceived factors related to the parent, child, and environment influencing parental self-efficacy. These findings suggest that parents may benefit from additional support, and future research might explore the potential of structured group-based interventions to foster parental self-efficacy in this population.