Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Investigating the Causal Model of Children’s Anxiety Based on Maternal Impulsivity and Resilience with the Mediating Role of Symptom Severity in Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Soheila Rostami Faghlou 1
Zahra Dashtbozorgi 2
Sahar Safarzadeh 2
1 PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
10.22059/japr.2026.402721.645357
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine a causal model of children’s anxiety based on maternal impulsivity and resilience, with the mediating role of symptom severity in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The research employed a descriptive-correlational design and was conducted using structural equation modeling. The statistical population comprised all mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD in Karaj during the 2023–2024, of whom 210 were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS11), Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale (SNAP), and Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS). The data were analyzed via SEM using SPSS-27 and AMOS-24 software. The results confirmed the goodness-of-fit of the proposed model and indicated that maternal impulsivity affected children’s anxiety only indirectly, through increased ADHD symptom severity (p < .001). Maternal resilience was associated with children’s anxiety both directly (β = −0.40, p < .002) and indirectly via the mediating role of ADHD symptom severity (p < .028). Based on these findings, it is recommended that psychological interventions and parent-training programs for mothers of children with ADHD focus on enhancing maternal resilience, while simultaneously addressing and managing impulsivity, in order to reduce children’s anxiety and improve their emotional adjustment.
Keywords
ADHD symptom severity, Children&rsquo
s anxiety, Impulsivity, Maternal resilience
Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 September 2026

  • Receive Date 24 September 2025
  • Revise Date 06 November 2025
  • Accept Date 30 November 2025
  • First Publish Date 15 September 2026
  • Publish Date 15 September 2026