Identifying the Psychological Components of Passive-Aggressive Behaviors in Marital Relationships

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the lived experience of parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder regarding social judgment and to explain its emotional, familial, and relational consequences. This qualitative study was conducted using a thematic analysis approach. The participants were 21 parents of children diagnosed with ADHD in Tehran, selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation in parent gender, child age, educational background, and experience of psychological or psychiatric services. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Each interview lasted between 45 and 75 minutes, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. No new theme emerged after the eighteenth interview, and three additional interviews were conducted to confirm saturation. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using NVivo software through open coding, merging conceptually similar codes, developing subthemes, and extracting main themes. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer review, analytic memoing, and an audit trail were used. Data analysis led to the identification of five main themes: “parenting blame and attributing the child’s behavior to poor upbringing,” “concealing the diagnosis and managing the social label,” “emotional exhaustion caused by judgmental gazes,” “conflict with school and non-empathic support systems,” and “reconstructing parental identity and seeking support.” Parents reported that social judgment was most frequently experienced in schools, family gatherings, public spaces, and interactions with other parents. These judgments were associated with shame, self-blame, social avoidance, doubt about treatment, and reduced parental self-efficacy. Social judgment in parents of children with ADHD is not merely an external pressure; rather, it is a multilayered process that begins in everyday interactions and extends to parental identity, treatment decisions, parent–child relationships, and family–school collaboration. Family-centered interventions, public education about ADHD, and stronger cooperation among families, schools, and mental health professionals may reduce stigma and improve family quality of life.