Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This research aimed to examine the impact of attention deficit disorder (ADD)/ADHD in children on parental labor force participation across different child age groups.
METHOD
This study utilized a longitudinal, quantitative analyses approach. All data were collected from Wave 6 of the Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) survey.
RESULTS
After adjusting for various confounders, mothers whose children were 10/11 years old and had been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD were significantly more likely to be out of the labor force compared with those mothers whose child had not been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The impact was more pronounced for single mothers. No significant influence on paternal labor force participation was found.
CONCLUSION
In assessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions for ADD/ADHD, policy makers and researchers must consider the long-term social and economic effects of ADD/ADHD on maternal workforce participation when considering costs and outcomes.
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