Disturbo oppositivo provocatorio e ADHD: la componente genitoriale

The causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiance Disorder are multifactorial, in particular they are genetic and environmental causes. The genetic cause seems to be found in the dysfunction of some genes involved in neuro-development of the prefrontal cortex; this dysfunction causes alterations in the cerebral cortex and nuclei at the base of brain which are responsible for the inhibition and self-control. Environmental causes are composed of various factors such as culture, education and interpersonal relationships, but for the early onset of these disorders, there is a high probability that the causes can be found in the parents' personality type and in the way they influence the development of the child. Families, especially parents play a significant role in the development of a child's mind in order to form an adult in his individuality, supporting the identity of the individual during his first training, the secure basis provided by the mother so as to enable the child to develop properly due to the formation of a secure attachment, and the parenting style used which favors certain types of communication and management, which provide support to the development of empathy in the individual. To understand if the parent's personality may be included among other factors and causes, a study to identify personality characteristics in common in parents of children with conduct disorders, through the use of the test Temperament and Character Inventory was activated. The research sample was made up of 16 parents of children with conduct disorders, and the results were relevant for the study. It was concluded that the characteristics of the parents' personality, as regards temperament and character, have a clearly defined role in children's cognitive and psychological development. In particular parents of children with conduct disorder show low emphatic levels; empathy is essential for the develop of ability of emotion regulation and prosocial behavior, dimensions that have been identified as greatly affected by a deficiency in this disorder.