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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common, is costly, and confers substantial risk of chronic poor outcome. It exemplifies the need to better understand variation within psychiatric conditions (heterogeneity) and co-occurrence of different conditions. In particular, ADHD's broad clinical heterogeneity has required clarification, as subtypes for which there is consensus have not emerged. The outlook for making progress in understanding ADHD heterogeneity is promising, however, when one considers dimensions of trait affectivity, such as surgency and negative affectivity; their constituent lower-order traits, such as irritability; and the integrative function of self-regulation. Several lines of investigation focusing on ADHD and temperament traits (related to emotional regulation and dysregulation) are proving useful. Work in this area has the potential to improve theory, nosology, and clinical assessment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the unique contributions of perinatal risk and genetic and environmental influences on child behavior using data from 561 domestic US adoption triads (birth mothers, adopted child, and adoptive parents). Findings show distinct patterns of associations among genetic (birth mother psychopathology), prenatal (six maternal reported aggregate scores characterizing total obstetric complications, perinatal internalizing symptoms, pregnancy complications, exposure to toxins, substance use, and neonatal complications), and postnatal influences (adoptive parent 18-month internalizing symptoms and over-reactive parenting) and toddler behavior problems (CBCL subscales at 27 months). Findings highlight multiple pathways for toddler’s behavioral development, including genetic, pregnancy, and postnatal main effects. Findings suggest distinct types of pregnancy risk may transmit genetic influences for specific behavior problems rather than broadband problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research from a variety of disciplines indicates that maternal cigarette smoking (MCS) during pregnancy is associated with an array of problematic outcomes, including various measures of criminal offending. Although some researchers have applied Moffitt's developmental taxonomy as a framework for understanding this relationship, this line of research has treated MCS as a proxy for neuropsychological deficit rather than a precursor to it. In short, no research has yet tested whether neuropsychological deficit in fact mediates the relationship between MCS and life-course-persistent offending. Using longitudinal data on an inner-city African American cohort, this research found no evidence of such a mediating relationship. The empirical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed in the context of identifying pathways for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]