Date of Award

Fall 10-28-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology (PhD)

Department

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor/Committee Member

Amy Mezulis, Ph.D.

Second Advisor/Committee Member

Keyne C. Law, Ph.D.

Third Advisor/Committee Member

Erin Schoenfelder Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Abstract

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is a well-established intervention for children with ADHD and has been shown to reduce challenging behaviors in children and decrease caregiver stress. The Lifestyle Enhancement for ADHD Study (LEAP) is the only physical activity intervention that includes children with ADHD and their parents. To examine the relationships between child physical activity, caregiver physical activity, ADHD outcomes, and positive parenting. I hypothesized that H1) caregiver physical activity will amplify the effect of child physical activity on reducing child ADHD symptoms, and H2) caregiver strain will mediate the relationship caregiver physical activity and positive parenting practices, such that as caregivers exercise more, their strain will decrease, leading to more engagement in positive parenting. Children ages 5-10 with ADHD and their caregivers participated in the LEAP exercise-focused parent training over 8 to 9 weeks. Caregiver step count and child moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) were recorded. 54 child-parent dyads were analyzed. Caregiver physical activity did not amplify the effect of physical activity on reducing child ADHD symptoms. Although average caregiver physical activity was not associated with child physical activity at T2, caregiver physical activity was associated with child physical activity at T1. Further, caregiver strain did not mediate the relationship between caregiver physical activity and positive parenting practices. Although the hypothesized relationships were not supported, the current study provides insights into the complexity of parent-child exercise relationships and proposes alternative methodological strategies for examining the impacts of an exercise-based parent training on caregivers themselves.

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