The present study examined the latent profiles of child, parent, and teacher ratings of child depression symptoms in a sample of children with ADHD Symptomology. The study attempted to identify ...patterns of agreement and discrepancies among raters and correlates of these patterns. Five classes best described the ratings: No Depression, Parent/Child Moderate Depression, Severe Depression, Teacher/Parent Moderate Depression, and Mixed Severe Depression. Predictors of class membership including social functioning and maternal depression confirmed the distinctiveness of classes. Latent profiles of ratings of depression ratings were also generated for a sample without ADHD symptoms as a basis for comparison. Implications for identifying and intervening on depression symptoms in children with ADHD are discussed.
•Children in ADHD symptom sample had 5 rating profiles of depression symptoms.•Children in normative sample had 4 rating profiles of depression symptoms.•Most Profiles in ADHD sample had agreement across child and adult ratings.•Agreement on severe depression by parent and teacher is related to highest risk.
Objective
To improve on several methodological issues regarding current literature investigating the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic success in adults and examine the relative ...contributions of specific dimensions of ADHD symptomatology (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) to post-secondary academic success.
Method
A large sample of 3,688 post-secondary students were examined using a longitudinal design. The Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) was used to assess adult ADHD symptoms and academic success was assessed using students’ official academic records (e.g., final GPAs and degree completion status).
Results
Students with greater inattention symptomatology at the start of their academic program showed consistently poorer long-term academic success (i.e., lower GPAs, higher dropout rates), regardless of gender.
Conclusion
Inattention symptoms are the primary driver of the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic underachievement in adults. Post-secondary education institutions should target and prioritize educational programming for inattention symptoms of ADHD in at-risk post-secondary students.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persists throughout the lifespan, and there are known impairments associated with adult ADHD. Understanding ADHD-related impairments in the parenting ...domain is particularly important given that the children of adults with ADHD also are likely to have ADHD, and there is potential for parenting to alter the developmental outcomes of these children. The present study quantitatively synthesizes evidence regarding the associations between parental ADHD symptoms and parenting behaviors. Across 32 studies, this meta-analysis found that parental ADHD symptoms accounted for 2.9%, 3.2%, and 0.5% of the variance of harsh, lax, and positive parenting, respectively. Greater parental ADHD symptoms were associated with less positive and more harsh and lax parenting behaviors. Variables, such as the proportion of children in the sample diagnosed with ADHD, child gender, and method/rater variance, moderated the strength of these relations. Results also suggest more similarities than differences in the associations between parenting behaviors and the two dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Overall, parental ADHD symptoms are significantly associated with parenting behaviors with effect sizes similar to the associations found between other parental psychopathologies and parenting, although the associations remain relatively small. The paper concludes with comments regarding remaining gaps in the literature that warrant further research and the clinical implications of the associations between parental ADHD symptoms and parenting.
•First meta-analysis on parental ADHD and parenting behaviors.•Parental ADHD is associated with more harsh and lax parenting.•Parental ADHD is associated with less positive parenting (<small effect size).•Associations were similar across inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive domains.•Child ADHD, child gender, and method/rater variance moderated these associations.
•The relationship between ADHD and suicide spectrum behaviors (SSBs) is unclear.•We found a significant association of ADHD to SSBs, even after controlling for possible confounders.•Practitioners ...should systematically screen for SSBs in patients with ADHD.
The relationship between ADHD and suicidal spectrum behaviors (SSBs) remains uncertain. We conducted the first meta-analysis on the association between ADHD and SSBs taking possible confounders into account. Based on a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO-CRD42018093003), we searched Pubmed, Ovid and Web of Knowledge databases through April 6th, 2018, with no language/publication type restrictions, and contacted study authors for unpublished data/information. From a pool of 2798 references, we retained 57 studies. Random-effects models were performed. Study quality was rated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. After pooling crude ORs, we found a significant association between ADHD and suicidal attempts (2.37, 95% CI = 1.64–3.43; I2 = 98.21), suicidal ideations (3.53, 2.94–4.25; I2 = 73.73), suicidal plans (4.54, 2.46–8.37; I2 = 0), and completed suicide (6.69, 3.24–17.39; I2 = 87.53). Results did not substantially change when pooling adjusted ORs. Findings were also in general robust to sensitivity analyses to assess possible moderators. Awareness of the association between ADHD and SSBs should contribute to more effectively prevent SSBs.
Specific working memory deficits have been documented for different learning disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia). Also children with attention deficit disorders (ADHD) have working memory problems ...especially with regard to executive functioning. There is a high rate of comorbidity of learning and attention disorders and yet, it is an open question, how this comorbidity might affect working memory functioning.
We tested six groups of children with dyslexia (N=31), dyscalculia (N=18), ADHD (N=34), with dyslexia and ADHD (N=37), with dyscalculia and ADHD (N=21) and typically achieving control children (N=31). Working memory was assessed by a battery of 16 phonological, visual-spatial and central executive tasks, according to the model of Baddeley (1986).
Results reveal distinct patterns of working memory deficits: dyslexia corresponds with deficits in phonological loop and dyscalculia with deficits in visual-spatial sketchpad. ADHD corresponds with deficits in central executive. No interaction effect could be detected. Thus, it should be concluded that the comorbidity leads to additive working memory deficits, i.e. children with both disorders must cope with broader deficits.
Abstract Introduction The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of suicidal ideation and thoughts of death in elementary school children in a European survey and to determine the associated ...socio-demographic and clinical factors. Methods Data refer to children aged 6–12 ( N =7062) from Italy, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Germany, and the Netherlands randomly selected in primary schools. Suicidal thoughts and death ideation were measured using a computerized pictorial diagnostic tool from the Dominic Interactive (DI) completed by the children. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administrated to teachers and parents along with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results Suicidal ideation was present in 16.96% of the sample (from 9.9 in Italy to 26.84 in Germany), death thoughts by 21.93% (from 7.71% in Italy to 32.78 in Germany). SI and DT were more frequent in single-parent families and large families. Externalizing disorders were strongly correlated with SI and DT after controlling for other factors and this was true for internalizing disorders only when reported by the children. Conclusion Recognizing suicidal ideation in young children may be recommended as part of preventive strategies such as screening in the context of the presence of any mental health problems whether externalizing or internalizing.
This study aimed to investigate the association between adolescents' adherence to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication and their risk of committing minor offenses.
Using two ...Dutch databases, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK), we aimed to investigate the association between adherence to ADHD medication and registered minor offenses between 2005 and 2019 of 18,234 adolescents (12-18 years). We used Cox regression analyses to compare the rate of committing minor offenses of adolescents during periods of high ADHD medication adherence compared to periods of low adherence (i.e., periods with or without sufficient amounts of dispensed medication). We additionally tested associations with adherence to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as control medication and analyzed potential reverse causation.
High ADHD medication adherence was associated with a reduced risk of committing a minor offense of between 33% and 38% compared to low adherence periods of ≥3 months (hazard ratio HR 0.67, confidence interval CI 0.64-0.71) or ≥6 months (HR 0.62, CI 0.59-0.65). The reduction in risk can likely be attributed to ADHD medication, given the absence of effects of SSRIs and no reverse causation. The reduction rate remained between 16% and 55% per sex, stimulant versus non-stimulant medication, different offense categories and further sensitivity analyses.
Among adolescents using ADHD medication, rates of criminality were lower during periods of high medication adherence, suggesting that adherence to ADHD medication may contribute to prevention of minor offenses in adolescents.
High intelligence may be associated with emotional, behavioral and social difficulties. However, this hypothesis is supported by little compelling, population-based evidence, and no study has been ...conducted during the preschool period with a population-based sample.
Children (N=1100) from the EDEN mother–child cohort were assessed at the age of 5–6years. Behavioral, emotional and social problems (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behavior) were measured using the parent-rated Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ). IQ scores were based on the WPPSI-III at 5–6years. Relevant covariates for children's cognitive development were also collected.
We found no significant differences in SDQ scores between gifted children (N=23; Full Scale IQ>130) and children with Full Scale IQ in the normal range (N=1058≥70 and ≤130), except a marginally significant association between high-IQ and emotional difficulties at 5–6years. Further sensitivity analyses did not support the association between high-IQ and emotional difficulties.
During the preschool period, gifted children do not seem to manifest more behavioral, emotional and social problems than children with normal IQ.
•Previous studies on gifted children have been conducted on biased samples•We used data from a large population-based sample of French children aged 5–6years•We found no increase in behavioral, emotional and social problems among high-IQ
The differential diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is complicated by comorbid disorders, but also by the overlapping of main symptoms such as inattentiveness, ...impulsivity, and hyperactivity with other disorders. Neuropsychological tests like continuous performance tests (CPT) try to solve this dilemma by objectively measurable parameters. We investigated in a cohort of n=114 patients presenting to an ADHD outpatient clinic how well a commercially available CPT test (QbTest
) can differentiate between patients with ADHD (n=94) and patients with a disconfirmed ADHD diagnosis (n=20). Both groups showed numerous comorbidities, predominantly depression (27.2% in the ADHD group vs. 45% in the non-ADHD group) and substance-use disorders (18.1% vs. 10%, respectively). Patients with ADHD showed significant higher activity (2.07 ± 1.23) than patients without ADHD (1.34 ± 1.27, dF=112; p=0.019), whereas for the other core parameters, inattention and impulsivity no differences could be found. Reaction time variability has been discussed as a typical marker for inattention in ADHD. Therefore, we investigated how well ex-Gaussian analysis of response time can differentiate between ADHD and other patients, showing, that it does not help to identify patients with ADHD. Even though patients with ADHD showed significantly higher activity, this parameter differed only poorly between patients (accuracy AUC 65% of an ROC-Curve). We conclude that CPTs do not help to identify patients with ADHD in a specialized outpatient clinic. The usability of this test for differentiating between ADHD and other psychiatric disorders is poor and a sophisticated analysis of reaction time did not decisively increase the test accuracy.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most frequent disorders within child and adolescent psychiatry, with a prevalence of over 5%. Nosological systems, such as the Diagnostic ...and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases, editions 10 and 11 (ICD-10/11) continue to define ADHD according to behavioral criteria, based on observation and on informant reports. Despite an overwhelming body of research on ADHD over the last 10 to 20 years, valid neurobiological markers or other objective criteria that may lead to unequivocal diagnostic classification are still lacking. On the contrary, the concept of ADHD seems to have become broader and more heterogeneous. Thus, the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD are still challenging for clinicians, necessitating increased reliance on their expertise and experience. The first part of this review presents an overview of the current definitions of the disorder (DSM-5, ICD-10/11). Furthermore, it discusses more controversial aspects of the construct of ADHD, including the dimensional versus categorical approach, alternative ADHD constructs, and aspects pertaining to epidemiology and prevalence. The second part focuses on comorbidities, on the difficulty of distinguishing between "primary" and "secondary" ADHD for purposes of differential diagnosis, and on clinical diagnostic procedures. In the third and most prominent part, an overview of current neurobiological concepts of ADHD is given, including neuropsychological and neurophysiological researches and summaries of current neuroimaging and genetic studies. Finally, treatment options are reviewed, including a discussion of multimodal, pharmacological, and nonpharmacological interventions and their evidence base.
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