Research from Indonesia reveals significant emotional regulation challenges among children with ADHD, emphasising the need for collaborative support and play therapy to improve behaviour and social skills.
Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often recognise the problem long before a child can name it: the tantrum that takes too long to subside, the sudden anger, the difficulty explaining what is wrong. A study from Indonesia adds fresh evidence that these emotional struggles are a central part of ADHD for many children, not just an occasional by-product of restlessness. Published in the Pinisi Journal of Education, the research found wide differences in how children managed emotion, with many showing clear weaknesses in regulation. According to the study team from Universitas Negeri Makassar, that variation suggests ADHD affects children unevenly and is shaped by the support they receive at home and in school.
The researchers used structured questionnaires completed through Google Forms and analysed the responses with SPSS, a standard statistical package. They reported that half of the 32 children assessed fell into the low category for emotional regulation, while a smaller group showed moderate control and more than a third scored higher. The team also said its measurement tool was reliable, with a Cronbach’s Alpha score of 0.959 after some items were removed from the original questionnaire. That level of internal consistency suggests the survey captured responses in a stable way, strengthening the study’s conclusions.
The findings fit with earlier research showing that emotional dysregulation is a common feature of ADHD and can worsen behaviour at school and at home. Studies in Psychiatry Research and the Journal of Attention Disorders have linked weaker emotion control, especially anger and frustration, with broader behavioural problems, while work in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health has found a connection between ADHD symptoms and family functioning. In practical terms, that means a child’s ability to calm down, recover from disappointment and interpret social situations can affect not only mood but friendships, learning and classroom conduct.
The Indonesian authors argue that the most effective response is shared rather than isolated, with parents, teachers and mental health professionals working together. They also point to play therapy as a promising approach. Play Therapy UK says this kind of therapy gives children a low-pressure way to express feelings, and a separate study published in the Journal for Current Sign found that eight weeks of play therapy improved emotional regulation in children with ADHD. For families, the message is not that emotional control problems will disappear, but that they can improve with the right support and early intervention.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
