{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T11:08:48Z","timestamp":1779361728198,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769558400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769558400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Health Expectations"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Parents in the United Kingdom seeking an assessment for attention\u2010deficit\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for their child experience a significant wait before receiving an appointment with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), yet little has been written on how parents experience this period. Through qualitative interviews, we sought to understand how the period of waiting from being accepted onto a service waitlist and receiving a diagnostic assessment impacts parents and their children.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study was nested within a large randomised controlled trial. We conducted semi\u2010structured interviews with 41 parents of children aged 5\u201311\u2009years. 30% of parents had waited between 18 and 24\u2009months on a CAMHS waitlist, with 10% waiting more than 2 years. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>At the point of the interview, around 50% of children were still waiting for an initial assessment. Six themes reflecting parents' uncertainty around the assessment process, lack of communication from services, the importance of receiving a diagnosis, difficulty accessing support and the negative impact of waiting on mental health and education, as well as recommendations to improve communication between services and families, emerged.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Parents recognised the pressures on services to offer timely support; however, their well\u2010being could be substantially improved by more clarity around wait times, as well as more effective signposting and support from services concerning the assessment process. This may help alleviate some of the stressors associated with their child's assessment journey, such as feeling responsible for their child's difficulties and the burden of supporting their educational needs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Patient and Public Contribution<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study was nested within the OPTIMA trial, where PPI panel members provided ongoing support in various aspects of the study, including advising on participant communication, study design and data analysis. All PPI members have lived experience of having a neurodivergent child. For this study, the PPI co\u2010produced the interview schedule and took part in transcript analysis using a thematic framework approach. To acknowledge their contributions, members of the PPI panel are included as co\u2010authors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/hex.70569","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T11:57:18Z","timestamp":1769601438000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["\u2018Until You Get the Diagnosis You're Forever in Limbo\u2019\u2014Parents' Experiences of Waiting for an Attention\u2010Deficit\/Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment With Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2952-4612","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ellen","family":"Hedstrom","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0789-2449","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Kostyrka\u2010Allchorne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Claire","family":"Ballard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Care for Long Term Conditions Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery &amp; Palliative Care, King's College London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Naomi","family":"James","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Southampton UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hannah","family":"Wright","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Academic Unit of Mental Health &amp; Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine &amp;Health Sciences University of Nottingham Nottingham UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Daley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences Nottingham Trent University Nottingham UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cris","family":"Glazebrook","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Academic Unit of Mental Health &amp; Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine &amp;Health Sciences University of Nottingham Nottingham UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jana","family":"Kreppner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Claire","family":"Cattel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Patient and Public Partner, King's College London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Douglas","family":"Gordon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Patient and Public Partner, King's College London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Natalie","family":"Gordon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Patient and Public Partner, King's College London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tessa","family":"Tuttlebee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Patient and Public Partner, King's College London London UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Edmund","family":"Sonuga\u2010Barke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &amp; Neuroscience, King's College London London UK"},{"name":"Department of Child &amp; Adolescent Psychiatry Aarhus University Arhus Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Psychology The University of Hong Kong Pok Fu Lam Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_13_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41380-023-02228-3"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_4_1","unstructured":"S.Stiebahl 2025. ADHD Statistics (England)."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_5_1","unstructured":"ADHD U.K. 2023. ADHD UK's Report Into NHS ADHD Assessment Waiting Lists https:\/\/adhduk.co.uk\/nhs-adhd-assessments-waiting-lists-report\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_6_1","unstructured":"K.Garrat E.Kirk\u2010Wade andA.Lewis \u201cE\u2010Petition Debate Relating to Assessments for Autism and ADHD \u201d UK Parliament February 2 2023 https:\/\/commonslibrary.parliament.uk\/research-briefings\/cdp-2023-0023\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0265542"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hec.3800"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10597-012-9585-z"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10802-014-9928-z"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10870547231188923"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12618-009-0024-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1753-2000-6-33"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/MHRJ-05-2020-0025"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/BMJMENT-2023-300844"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.12968\/chhe.2023.4.2.78"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3126\/kmcj.v7i1.75109"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10778004211048379"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17439760.2016.1262613"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/S11135-021-01182-Y\/FIGURES\/D"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00787-009-0020-0"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_23_1","unstructured":"C.Webster\u2010Stratton The Incredible Years Parent Teachers and Children Training Series: A Multifaceted Treatment Approach for Young Children With Conduct Problems (2003) https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/232521865."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_24_1","unstructured":"The Neurodiversity Profiling Tool Portsmouth Send Local Offer2025 https:\/\/portsmouthlocaloffer.org\/information\/the-neurodiversity-nd-profiling-tool\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.52793\/JNSR.2025.5(1)-45"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/S00787-018-1107-2"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjoq-2019-000653"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/S10597-017-0118-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jpm.12215"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_30_1","unstructured":"MyHealthE South London and Maudsly NHS Trust 2025 https:\/\/slam.nhs.uk\/myhealthe."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/60042"}],"container-title":["Health Expectations"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/hex.70569","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/hex.70569","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/hex.70569","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T11:00:25Z","timestamp":1779361225000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/hex.70569"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/hex.70569"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/hex.70569","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1369-6513","1369-7625"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1369-6513","type":"print"},{"value":"1369-7625","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-11-19","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-01-07","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-01-28","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e70569"}}