Julia Feldman, Ph.D.

Fellow In Child & Adolescent ADHD

Project Details

Project summary

Challenges with self-regulation – the biologically-based ability to resist automatic reactions – is a key component of ADHD. Self-regulation develops dramatically in the preschool years and is impacted by parenting. However, most research focuses on how mothers promote self-regulation. Research suggests that when fathers excite children and then let them practice calming down by setting limits, they help support self-regulation. However, little is known about how these processes unfold in real-time. This study will test how fathers’ balance of excitement and limit-setting relate to preschooler’s in-the-moment biological self-regulation and same-day behavioral regulation. Two-thirds of the children in the sample will have elevated risk for developing ADHD. If fathers’ parenting is found to be associated with better behavioral and biological self-regulation, findings may help broaden the menu of parenting practices included in ADHD intervention programs, especially behaviors that may be more enticing to fathers.