Determining the experiences of parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The photovoice method.

PURPOSE: To explore how parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) describe and visually represent their caregiving experiences through photovoice. DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted from May 15 to November 15, 2025, at the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinics of a state hospital. Twelve parents were recruited through purposive sampling until data saturation. Data were generated through participant-produced photographs, written explanations, individual photo-elicitation interviews, and group discussions. Visual and textual data were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Ten mothers and two fathers participated; the mean parent age was 39.8 years. Among the children, 66.7% were boys, and the mean age was 8.9 years. Four themes emerged: parenting burden and psychosocial difficulties, stigmatization, service access and home-life difficulties, and coping and resilience. Parents described constant supervision, emotional exhaustion, social exclusion, and efforts to manage systemic and social challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Parents experienced interconnected caregiving burden, stigma, and service-related difficulties while drawing on coping and resilience. Photovoice made visible experiences that may be difficult to communicate verbally. The findings may inform family-centered pediatric nursing support. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric nurses may use these findings to assess caregiver strain, provide stigma-sensitive education, support care navigation, and facilitate referrals to psychosocial and peer-support services.