Search

Background Methods Results Conclusions Symptoms of anxiety and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are prospectively related from childhood to adolescence. However, whether the two dimensions of ADHD—inattention and hyperactivity‐impulsivity—are differentially related to anxiety and whether there are developmental and sex/gender differences in these relations are unknown.Two birth cohorts of Norwegian children were assessed biennially from ages 4 to 16 (N = 1,077; 49% girls) with diagnostic parent interviews used to assess symptoms of anxiety and ADHD. Data were analyzed using a random intercept cross‐lagged panel model, adjusting for all unobserved time‐invariant confounding effects.In girls, increased inattention, but not hyperactivity‐impulsivity, predicted increased anxiety 2 years later across all time‐points and increased anxiety at ages 12 and 14 predicted increased inattention but not hyperactivity‐impulsivity. In boys, increased hyperactivity‐impulsivity at ages 6 and 8, but not increased inattention, predicted increased anxiety 2 years later, whereas increased anxiety did not predict increased inattention or hyperactivity‐impulsivity.The two ADHD dimensions were differentially related to anxiety, and the relations were sex‐specific. In girls, inattention may be involved in the development of anxiety throughout childhood and adolescence and anxiety may contribute to girls developing more inattention beginning in early adolescence. In boys, hyperactivity‐impulsivity may be involved in the development of anxiety during the early school years. Effective treatment of inattention symptoms in girls may reduce anxiety risk at all time‐points, while addressing anxiety may decrease inattention during adolescence. Similarly, treating hyperactivity‐impulsivity may reduce anxiety risk in boys during late childhood (at ages 8–10). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching and family communities usually have an active role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in childhood. Examining the construal of hyperactivity-impulsivity in teaching guidelines and online parental exchanges can elucidate common lay understandings of the trait. The study considers transitivity, with a focus on Relational and Behavioural clauses, lexical metaphors and appraisals. The linguistic descriptions have a potential to assist medical specialists in interpreting evidence presented by teaching and family communities in the complex task of diagnosing ADHD, facilitating communication and explaining the strategies used to avoid potentially stigmatising descriptions. The analysis supports the suitability of distinguishing Behavioural processes in transitivity and traces a parallelism between the metaphorical descriptions of extreme behaviour and those traditionally reported for strong emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with ADHD experience difficulties with motor and cognitive control. However, the relationships between these symptoms are poorly understood. As a step toward improving treatment, this study investigated associations between specific aspects of motor control and cognitive control in children with varying levels of hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. A heterogeneous sample of 255 children of 4 to 10 years of age (median = 6.50, MAD = 1.36) completed a battery of tests probing motor generation, visuomotor fluency, visuomotor flexibility, cognitive inhibition, verbal and visuospatial working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Their caregivers were interviewed regarding their hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. 25.9% of the main sample met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine whether specific aspects of motor control were associated with specific aspects of cognitive control, and whether any associations were moderated by hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. Additionally, cognitive modeling (the drift diffusion model approximated with EZ-DM) was used to understand performance on a cognitive inhibition task. Visuomotor fluency was significantly associated with cognitive inhibition. Visuomotor flexibility was significantly associated with cognitive flexibility. There were no significant moderation effects. Cognitive modeling was inconclusive. In conclusion, the ability to fluently perform visually guided continuous movement is linked with the ability to inhibit the effects of distracting information. The ability to spontaneously use visual information to flexibly alter motor responses is related to the ability to cognitively shift from one frame of mind to another. These relationships appear to be quantitatively and qualitatively similar across the childhood hyperactive-impulsive continuum as rated by parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Altered white matter property over the brain in adults with ADHD is undetermined. • Altered SLF, fronto-striato-thalamocortical tracts, and callosal fibers in ADHD adults. • Alteration in ILF, frontal aslant tract and perpendicular fasciculus was also noted. • The microstructural property of SLF was correlated with hyperactivity-impulsivity. Although altered microstructure properties of white-matter tracts have been reported in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), findings from relatively few adult ADHD studies are inconsistent. This study aims to examine microstructural property over the whole brain in adults with ADHD and explore structural connectivities. Sixty-four medication-naïve adults with ADHD and 81 healthy adults received diffusion spectrum imaging. Generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA), an index indicating microstructural property, was calculated stepwise among 76 white-matter tracts. With the threshold-free clustering weighted method, the segments with the largest group difference were selected, and mean GFA (mGFA) values were calculated. Adults with ADHD had increased mGFA values in the segments located in the left frontal aslant tract, the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and the left perpendicular fasciculus, and reduced mGFA values in the segments located in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) I, the left SLF II, the right frontostriatal tracts from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, the right medial lemniscus, the right inferior thalamic radiation to the auditory cortex, and the callosal fibers. Additionally, the mGFA value of the right SLF I segment was associated with hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. Our findings suggest that white-matter tracts with altered microstructure properties are located within the attention networks, fronto-striato-thalamocortical regions, and those associated with attention and visual perception in adults with ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents of preterm children are more likely to adopt non-optimal parenting behaviors than parents of full-term (FT) children. However, there is a lack of studies on parents of children born moderate to late preterm (MLP; 32–36 gestational weeks). In this study, we aimed to examine: (1) the association between MLP birth status and the trajectory of parental overprotection throughout preschool years, and (2) the role of parental overprotection, MLP birth status, and their interaction in the prediction of the trajectories of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention throughout childhood. Data comes from a Canadian representative population-based cohort including 2028 FT, 100 MLP children, and their parents. Overprotective parenting was measured when children were 5, 17, and 29 months old. Hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention symptoms were measured repeatedly from 4 to 8 years of age. Trajectories of parents' overprotectiveness and children's hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention were modeled. MLP birth status was associated with an increase in parental overprotectiveness across the preschool period. MLP birth status and parental overprotection were both found to be associated with higher levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms across childhood. No interaction was found between birth status and parental overprotection. The results suggest that parents of MLP children become more overprotective across time compared to parents of FT children and that children born MLP and/or exposed to higher levels of parental overprotection demonstrated higher levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms across childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to examine the temperamental predictors of developmental trajectory subgroups of children's inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems through a short-term longitudinal study. Methods: Children (n = 1344) were divided into younger (age 6–8 years) and older (age 9–11 years) groups in order to observe changes in inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems. Inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems were measured three times at 5-month intervals and Cloninger's four temperaments (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence) were examined on the first occasion only. A cohort sequential design and growth mixture model were used for investigating trajectory subgroups and multiple logistic regression analysis to examine the temperamental predictors. Results: Developmental trajectories of inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity showed different subgroupings depending on the age group of children. Temperament (high score on novelty seeking and low score on persistence as well as high score on reward dependence) and gender predicted the likelihood of belonging to high-risk versus low-risk subgroups. Conclusion: Suggestions taking into account the predictors of developmental trajectories in inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity problems for future research are discussed along with the limitations of the current study.

Abstract The present study investigated whether symptom reduction in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treated with guanfacine extended release (GXR) can be explained by sedative effects of the medication. Data from four double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials of GXR monotherapy (1–7 mg/day; morning administration) in children (aged 6–12 years) and adolescents (aged 13–17 years) with ADHD were analyzed post hoc. Two studies used forced-dose titration and two used flexible-dose titration. Efficacy was determined using ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS-IV) scores. Sedative treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included somnolence, sedation and hypersomnia. The proportion of responders (≥ 30% reduction in ADHD-RS-IV total score) increased from weeks 1 to 4 and remained stable to study endpoint. Sedative TEAEs generally peaked at the first week in which the target dose was achieved and then declined. In subgroup analyses, significant placebo-adjusted improvements in ADHD-RS-IV total scores were observed in participants without any sedative TEAEs in the forced-dose and flexible-dose studies (nominal p < 0.001). In addition, GXR was associated with significant improvements in both inattentive and hyperactive–impulsive symptoms, as assessed by the ADHD-RS-IV subscale scores (nominal p < 0.001) and by the ADHD-RS-IV total score in participants with different ADHD subtypes (nominal p < 0.05). Thus, the efficacy of GXR in children and adolescents with ADHD is not primarily due to sedation, although some contribution to symptom reduction cannot be excluded, especially early in treatment when rates of sedative TEAEs are at their highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objectives: We studied the associations between polygenic risk score (PRS) for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and (1) ADHD symptoms in 5-year-old children, (2) sleep duration throughout childhood, and (3) the interaction between PRS for ADHD and short sleep duration relative to ADHD symptoms at 5 years., Methods: This study is based on the population-based CHILD-SLEEP birth cohort (N = 1420 children). PRS was used to quantitate the genetic risk for ADHD. Parent-reported ADHD symptoms at 5 years were obtained from 714 children, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Five-to-Fifteen (FTF). Our primary outcomes were SDQ-hyperactivity and FTF-ADHD total scores. Parent-reported sleep duration was measured at 3, 8, 18, 24 months, and 5 years in the whole sample and actigraphy-based sleep duration at 2 and 24 months in a subsample., Results: PRS for ADHD associated with SDQ-hyperactivity (β = 0.214, p = .012) and FTF-ADHD total (β = 0.639, p = .011), and FTF-inattention and hyperactivity subscale scores (β = 0.315, p = .017 and β = 0.324, p = .030), but not with sleep duration at any time point. Significant interactions were found between high PRS for ADHD and parent-reported short sleep throughout childhood in FTF-ADHD total score (F = 4.28, p = .039) and FTF-inattention subscale (F = 4.66, p = .031). We did not find any significant interaction between high PRS for ADHD and actigraphy-based short sleep., Conclusions: Parent-reported short sleep moderates the association between genetic risk of ADHD and ADHD symptoms in early childhood in the general population, so that children with short sleep, in combination with high genetic risk for ADHD, could be at highest risk for ADHD symptoms., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Telomere length (TL) is highly heritable, and a shorter telomere at birth may increase the risk of age-related problems. Telomere length (TL) is highly heritable, and a shorter telomere at birth may increase the risk of age-related problems. Additionally, a shorter TL may represent a biomarker of chronic stress and has been associated with psychiatric disorders. However, no study has explored whether there is an association between TL and the symptoms of one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood: Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). We evaluated 61 (range, 6-16 years) ADHD children and their parents between 2012 and 2014. Telomere length was measured with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method with telomere signal normalized to the signal from a single copy gene (36B4) to generate a T/S ratio. Family data was processed through a GEE model to determine the effect of parental TL on children TL. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were also evaluated in relation to TL. For the first time, we found general heritability to be the major mechanism explaining interindividual telomere length variation in ADHD (father-child: 95%CI=0.35/0.91, p0.05). The ADHD inattentive dimension was not significant associated with TL in this study (p>0.05). TL was shown to be a potential biomarker of the ADHD symptoms burden in families affected by this neurodevelopmental disorder. However, it is crucial that future studies investigating the rate of telomere attrition in relation to psychiatric problems to consider the strong determination of telomere length at birth by inheritance.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) co-occur frequently. However, the comorbidity of these two childhood disruptive behavior disorders has not been satisfactorily explained at either a structural or etiological level. The current study evaluates and compares three distinct models to improve understanding of the structural relationship between ADHD and ODD using Urdu translation of parent and teacher versions of Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale (DBDRS). Participants were 201 teachers and 144 parents of school children who were given parent and teacher versions of the DBDRS. The two factor model obtained in the present study combining the hyperactivity and ODD as single factor, while keeping the inattentive type as a separate factor has shown to be the best fit for parent version in comparison to other suggested models. This may help explain common patterns of comorbidity between ADHD and ODD and also supports the ongoing debate that ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive type must be considered a distinct disorder and not as subtype of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship among inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and depression in preteen children, as mediated by parental attitudes toward child-rearing and by children's self-esteem. Questionnaires were completed by the mothers, fathers, and children (5th grade at elementary school) of 210 families. Mothers rated their children's inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Mothers and fathers were asked to answer questions regarding warm parental attitudes toward children and parent-child conflicts. Children completed self-report questionnaires regarding self-esteem and depression. The results indicated that children's inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity negatively correlated with parental warm attitudes and positively correlated with parent-child conflicts. Mothers' warmer attitude was related to children's lower depression, which was mediated by children's higher self-esteem. Fathers' attitude toward child-rearing was not related to children's self-esteem, but children's inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity were directly related to children's self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present literature review is threefold. (1) We will review theories, models, and studies on symptomatic hyperactivity and motoric activity in ADHD. (2) Another focus will be on assessment methods that have been proven to be effective in the detection of hyperactivity and motoric activity in children, adolescents, and adults with and without ADHD and emerging areas of research in the field of ADHD. We will compare subjective methods (i.e., rating scales) and objective methods (i.e., accelerometers). (3) Finally, physical activity intervention studies aiming at a modification of activity and overactive behavior will be summarized that seem to be promising candidates for alleviating hyperactivity symptoms in children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD.

Background: Little is known about the impact of cognitive impairments on driving in adults with ADHD. The present study compared the performance of adults with and without ADHD in a driving simulator on two different routes: an urban route which we hypothesised would exacerbate weak impulse control in ADHD and a motorway route, to challenge deficits in sustained attention. Methods: Adults with (n = 22, 16 males) and without (n = 21, 18 males) ADHD completed a simulated driving session while eye movement data were recorded simultaneously. Participants also completed the Manchester Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS). Measures of driving performance included average speed, proportion distance travelled over speed limit (speeding) and lane deviation. These variables and the eye movement measures (spread of fixations, mean fixation duration) were compared between groups and routes. Also, driving behaviours, including responses to programmed events, were categorised and the frequencies within categories were compared between groups. Finally, speech analysis was performed to compare emotional verbal expressions during driving between groups. Results: ADHD participants reported significantly more Violations and Lapses on the DBQ than control participants and significantly more accidents. Average speed and speeding were also higher but did not interact with route type. ADHD participants showed poorer vehicle control, greater levels of frustration with other road users (including greater frequencies of negative comments) and a trend for less safe driving when changing lanes/overtaking on the motorway. These effects were predicted by hyperactive/impulsive CAARS scores. They were also more likely to cause a crash/near miss when an event occurred on the urban route. Conclusions: The results suggest that difficulty regulating and controlling impulsive behavior, reflected in speeding, frustration with other road users, less safety when changing lanes on the motorway and a greater likelihood of an accident following an unexpected event, underlie impaired driving in ADHD. Hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms correlated with these indices. Deficits in sustained attention seemed to play a lesser role in this particular study, although further research is needed to determine whether effects on attention emerge over longer periods of time and/or are influenced by the novelty of the simulator environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomere length (TL) is highly heritable, and a shorter telomere at birth may increase the risk of age-related problems. Additionally, a shorter TL may represent a biomarker of chronic stress and has been associated with psychiatric disorders. However, no study has explored whether there is an association between TL and the symptoms of one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood: Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). We evaluated 61 (range, 6-16 years) ADHD children and their parents between 2012 and 2014. TL was measured with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method with telomere signal normalized to the signal from a single copy gene (36B4) to generate a T/S ratio. Family data was processed through a generalized estimated equations (GEE) model to determine the effect of parental TL on children TL. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were also evaluated in relation to TL. For the first time, we found general heritability to be the major mechanism explaining interindividual TL variation in ADHD (father-child: 95% CI = 0.35/0.91, p < 0.001; mother-child: 95% CI = 0.38/0.74, p < 0.001). The hyperactive-impulsive dimension of ADHD was related with children's TL (r = -339, p = 0.008) and maternal TL (r = -264, p = 0.047), but not with paternal TL (p > 0.05). The ADHD inattentive dimension was not significant associated with TL in this study (p > 0.05). TL was shown to be a potential biomarker of the ADHD symptoms burden in families affected by this neurodevelopmental disorder. However, it is crucial that future studies investigating the rate of telomere attrition in relation to psychiatric problems to consider the strong determination of TL at birth by inheritance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heritability of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is higher for children than adults. This may be due to increasing importance of environment in symptom variation, measurement inaccuracy when two raters report behavior of a twin-pair, a contrast effect resulting from parental comparison of siblings and/or dimensionality of measures. We examine rater contrast and sex effects in ADHD subtypes using a dimensional scale and compare the aetiology of self, versus maternal-report. Data were collected using the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal Behaviour Scale (SWAN): maternal-report for 3,223 twins and siblings (mean age 21.2, SD = 6.3) and self-report for 1,617 twins and siblings (mean age 25.5, SD = 3.2). Contrast effects and magnitude of genetic and environmental contributions to variance of ADHD phenotypes (inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, combined behaviours) were examined using structural equation modeling. Contrast effects were evident for maternal-report hyperactivity-impulsivity ( b = −0.04) and self-report inattention (−0.09) and combined ADHD (−0.08). Dominant genetic effects were shared by raters for inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity and combined ADHD. Broad-sense heritability was equal across sex for maternal-report inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity and combined ADHD (0.72, 0.83, 0.80). Heritability for corresponding subtypes in self-reported data were best represented by sex (0.46, 0.30, 0.39 for males; 0.69, 0.41, 0.65 for females). Heritability difference between maternal and self-report ADHD was due to greater variance of male specific environment in self-report data. Self-reported ADHD differed across sex by magnitude of specific environment and genetic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research paper that examines the unique relations of inattention (IN) and hyperactivity impulsivity (HI) symptom dimensions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to variety of tobacco withdrawal symptoms. The topics discussed include study on the withdrawal profiles experienced by smokers with high-levels of ADHD symptoms in smoking reinstatement and cessation outcomes, pathognomonic and comorbid symptoms in ADHD, and statistical data involved in the study.

Studies of subtypes of DSM-IV attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have provided inconsistent support for the discriminant validity of the combined type (ADHD-C) and predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-I). A large sample of children and adolescents with ADHD ( N = 410) and a comparison group without ADHD ( N = 311) were used to test the internal and external validity of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), a dimension characterized by low energy and sleepy and sluggish behavior. SCT scores were then incorporated in analyses of ADHD subtypes to test whether the discriminant validity of ADHD-C and ADHD-I could be improved by including SCT symptoms as part of the criteria for ADHD-I. Factor analyses of parent and teacher ratings indicated that six SCT items loaded on a factor separate from symptoms of ADHD and other psychopathology, providing important support for the internal validity of SCT. The external validity of SCT was supported by significant associations between SCT and measures of functional impairment and neuropsychological functioning when symptoms of ADHD and other psychopathology were controlled. However, contrary to initial predictions, high levels of SCT did not identify a subgroup of ADHD-I that was clearly distinct from ADHD-C. Instead, the current results suggest that DSM-IV inattention and SCT are separate but correlated symptom dimensions that are each independently associated with important aspects of functional impairment and neuropsychological functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Considering the important role of executive functions (EF) for adjustment across the lifespan, this study aimed to deepen understanding of protective/risk factors for EF in a potentially vulnerable population: adolescents with ADHD. This study compared adolescents with versus without ADHD for differences in EF, attachment relationships with fathers/mothers, and trait mindfulness and investigated these possible protective/risk factors' contributions to EF in both adolescent groups.Methods: Ninth graders (N = 91; 49 boys, 42 girls) ages 14-15 years (M = 14.50, SD = 0.50) comprised 45 with ADHD and 46 with typical development (TD). Adolescents completed three self-reports (trait mindfulness, attachment to mother/father). Mothers rated their adolescents' ADHD symptoms and EF.Results and Conclusion: Significantly more maladaptive outcomes emerged for adolescents with ADHD than TD in their EF, attachment with mothers, and mindfulness. Regression analyses demonstrated the significant risk posed by ADHD symptoms and the protection offered by trait mindfulness and attachment with fathers in explaining EF. Discussion focused on understanding these protective/risk factors' possibly unique and complementary roles, suggesting interventions for adolescents with ADHD in family and school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the relationship among inattentive, and hyperactive-impulsive behavior, aggression, and depression in elementary school and junior high school students. The participants were 3,885 children and their teachers and caregivers. Children's inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behavior was rated by their teachers and caregivers (ADHD-RS). Children rated aggression (HAQ-C) and depression (DSRS-C) themselves. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behavior rated by teachers and caregivers were positively related to aggression and depression. Inattention predicted higher levels of aggression and depression. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behavior as rated by teachers was more highly related to depression than those behaviors as rated by caregivers. The relationships among inattentive, and hyperactive-impulsive behavior, aggression, and depression were almost the same for both elementary school and junior high school students. This study suggests the importance of assessing inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behavior from multiple views to examine the relationship between inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behavior and mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) offer the benefit of a hypothesis-free approach to measuring the quantitative effect of genetic variants on affection status. Generally the findings of GWAS relying on ADHD status have been non-significant, but the one study using quantitative measures of symptoms found SLC9A9 and SLC6A1 were associated with inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity. Accordingly, we performed a GWAS using quantitative measures of each ADHD subtype measured with the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal Behaviour (SWAN) scale in two community-based samples. This scale captures the full range of attention and kinetic behavior; from high levels of attention and appropriate activity to the inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity associated with ADHD within two community-based samples. Our discovery sample comprised 1,851 participants (mean age = 22.8 years [4.8]; 50.6% female), while our replication sample comprised 155 participants (mean age = 26.3 years [3.1]; 68.4% females). Age, sex, age × sex, and age2 were included as covariates and the results from each sample were combined using meta-analysis, then analyzed with a gene-based test to estimate the combined effect of markers within genes. We compare our results with markers that have previously been found to have a strong association with ADHD symptoms. Neither the GWAS nor subsequent meta-analyses yielded genome-wide significant results; the strongest effect was observed at rs2110267 (4.62 × 10−7) for symptoms of hyperactivity–impulsivity. The strongest effect in the gene-based test was for GPR139 on symptoms of inattention (6.40 × 10−5). Replication of this study with larger samples will add to our understanding of the genetic etiology of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-efficacy beliefs play an important role in regulating a child's functioning and emotional well-being. The aims of our study were to construct the Polish Self-Efficacy Scale for Children (SESC) in early school age and to explore its factor structure and construct validity. A total of 402 children in the age range of 8 to 10 years took part in the study. An exploratory factor analysis of the SESC revealed four factors. The internal reliability of each scale score ranged from good to very good. Results show that self-efficacy beliefs for academic achievement, self-control and regulation of negative emotion are negatively correlated with inattention, hyperactivity–impulsivity, low emotional control and trait anxiety. It is concluded that the SESC is a promising measure for research concerning child development and psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading disability commonly co-occur because of shared genetic risk factors. However, the stability and change of these genetic influences and the predictive relationships underlying this association longitudinally remain unclear. Methods: ADHD symptoms and reading were assessed as continuous dimensions in a UK general population sample of approximately 7,000 twin pairs. Parent ratings of ADHD symptoms and teacher ratings of reading were obtained at two ages: middle childhood (ages 7-8 years) and early adolescence (ages 11-12 years). Cross-lagged quantitative genetic analyses were applied. Results: ADHD symptoms and reading significantly predicted each other over time. However, ADHD symptoms were a significantly stronger predictor of reading than vice versa. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD both contributed to the prediction of reading, but inattentiveness was a significantly stronger predictor. Furthermore, ADHD symptoms and reading were highly heritable, and their association was primarily attributable to shared genetic influences. Despite notable genetic innovation for each trait, genetic factors involved in the association of ADHD symptoms and reading over time were highly stable. Conclusions: ADHD symptoms may put children at increased risk for reading problems and vice versa. Moreover, enduring genetic mechanisms appear to be important in the association of ADHD symptoms and reading over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterised by developmentally inappropriate and impairing levels of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behaviours. We aimed to investigate the differential effects of parent and teacher ratings on inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity and the extent of genetic overlap between the two behavioural dimensions. Multivariate structural equation modelling was performed on DSM-IV based ADHD ratings by parents and teachers collected on a general population sample of 672 twin pairs, at ages 7-10 years. This study is the first to simultaneously use parent and teacher ratings in twin modelling to examine the effects of different raters on the two behavioural dimensions of ADHD. The findings indicated that hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention load on to separate latent factors that represent a common behavioural view for both parents and teachers, although there are additional aspects to the observations of these behaviours that are unique to each type of rater. The findings further indicate some shared aetiology for hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention as measured by both parent and teacher ratings, in agreement with previous findings on the aetiology of the two symptom dimensions of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DSM-IV distinguishes two symptom domains of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity. The present study examines the aetiologies and developmental relations underlying the associations between inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity over time, based on a representative population sample from the United Kingdom of approximately 7,000 twin pairs. ADHD symptoms were assessed as continuous dimensions using the DSM-IV items from the Conners' Parent Rating Scale at two ages: middle childhood (age 1) and early adolescence (age 2). Quantitative genetic cross-lagged analyses showed that the association of the ADHD dimensions over time is influenced by stable as well as newly developing genetic factors. Moreover the longitudinal relationship between the ADHD dimensions appears to be unidirectional, with hyperactivity-impulsivity in middle childhood predicting the presence of inattentiveness in early adolescence, but not vice versa. Thus, hyperactivity-impulsivity may serve to exacerbate inattentiveness over time. Findings are discussed in the context of developmental changes in ADHD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previous paper in this journal revealed substantial genetic overlap between the ADHD dimensions of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness in a sample of 8-year old twins drawn from a UK-representative population sample. Four years later, when the twins were 12 years old, more than 5,500 pairs drawn from the same sample were rated again on the DSM-IV based Revised Conners' Parent Rating Scale to assess symptoms on both ADHD dimensions. Heritabilities were high (around 70%) for both hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness and evidence for etiological sex differences was absent. The critical finding was a genetic correlation of 0.55, indicating that hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness are substantially influenced by the same genes but that the two dimensions also show large and significant unique genetic effects. These results in early adolescence confirm our findings in middle childhood, providing evidence for substantial genetic overlap as well as genetic heterogeneity of the ADHD dimensions. Future genetic studies should investigate the ADHD dimensions separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper exemplifies a secondary data analysis of context-specific differences in children's hyperactivity-impulsivity while controlling for informant-specific effects. Participants were boys and girls from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development whose behaviours were measured in 1st, 3rd and 5th grades. Latent factor models were structured using multi-informant reports including mothers, fathers, teachers and observers. Temporal stability within a context was stronger than cross-context consistency, and the magnitude of longitudinal stability was higher in the home context compared to the school context. Controlling for informant-specific effects resulted in a significantly improved model fit and increased within-context stability. Our findings highlight the importance of considering both context and informant effects when studying longitudinal stability and change in personality development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether externalizing problem behaviors (hyperactivity-impulsivity, aggressiveness, and inattention) predict illicit drug use independently, or whether their associations with drug use are mediated through cigarette smoking. We used a prospective longitudinal design within the FinnTwin12-17 study among Finnish adolescents with baseline at age 12 and follow-up surveys at ages 14 and 17. Path models were conducted with Mplus and included 1992 boys and 2123 girls. The outcome was self-reported ever use of cannabis or other illicit drugs at age 17. The predictors were: externalizing behaviors (hyperactivity-impulsivity, aggressiveness, and inattention) assessed by teachers and parents (age 12) and self-reported cigarette smoking (age 14). The findings differed across behavior studied. The association of hyperactivity-impulsivity with drug use was mostly mediated through earlier cigarette smoking. Concerning aggressiveness and inattention, the results were different among girls than boys. Among girls no significant mediation occurred, whereas among boys more consistent evidence on mediation was seen. Consistently in all models, the direct association of early cigarette smoking on drug use was strong and highly significant. We conclude that the associations of externalizing problem behaviors with illicit drug use are partially mediated through cigarette smoking. Although interventions targeting externalizing problem behaviors may protect adolescents from early onset smoking and subsequently experimenting with drugs, interventions to prevent cigarette smoking initiation are also important in reducing risk of later drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of students in UK universities are presenting with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the impact of ADHD symptomatology on academic achievement in university students in the UK has not previously been explored. This study investigates the prevalence of self-reported ADHD symptoms (inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity) in 464 undergraduate psychology students across two year cohorts. Findings suggest that there is a high incidence of undiagnosed students in the at risk categories for ADHD. Students who score higher on the inattention subscale are more likely to achieve a lower final average percentage mark (APM) and are significantly less likely to complete their degree within three years. The study suggests a need to focus on the identification and provision of support for students with elevated ADHD symptomatology, particularly inattention characteristics, irrespective of a previous diagnosis of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the quantification of the different measures of motion sensor data, taken from actigraphs, in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The number of movements made, magnitude of these movements, and the intraindividual variability (IIV) in the magnitude of movements indicate an ability to distinguish between cases and controls. This suggests that the overactivity component of ADHD can be characterized through increased intensity and variability of movements.

The article presents the study on the connection of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to choice impulsivity of children in the U.S. It shows that ADHD is associated with choice impulsivity in girls in the postreward delay condition, while there is no significant association of ADHD to choice impulsivity in boys. It notes that this finding indicates the importance of the role of choice impulsivity in behavioral inattention.

We used data from a large, longitudinal study of children in the community, the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, to examine how well earlier measures of delay capacity, inhibitory control, planning, and attention predicted symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessed in third grade. Children with elevated symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity ( n = 57) and with inattentive symptoms only ( n = 80) were identified via mother and teacher reports using the “or” rule, as were children without significant symptoms ( n = 790). Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that poorer performance on earlier measures of resistance to temptation, delay of gratification, response inhibition, attention, and planning obtained from 36 months to 1st grade predicted membership in the two symptom groups relative to the comparison group in 3rd grade, albeit with somewhat different patterns of predictors. Controls for 36 month school readiness and externalizing symptoms indicated that these results were generally robust and not an artifact of initial cognitive or behavioral differences. Implications for developmental models of ADHD are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Most previous studies of attention deficit in ADHD and schizophrenia have used overall measures of inattention that may disguise differences in underlying mechanisms. The present study investigated types of inattentive errors and applied a process view of attention in analyses of Conners’ Continuous Performance Test protocols from subjects with ADHD-combined (51), inattentive type (19) and schizophrenia (26). Subjects with ADHD-I had more omission errors and became more inattentive as a function of time on task. Subjects with ADHD-C made more errors of commissions as time passed. In contrast, the performance of the subjects with schizophrenia improved, indicating a training effect. There were no differences in overall attentiveness between the groups. Although all groups were impaired on an overall level, they displayed three distinct patterns of inattention. The ADHD-I group displayed a lethargic inattention characterized by high fatigue. The ADHD-C group showed a hyperactive-impulsive pattern, while the schizophrenia group showed an inability to initially focus attention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are some indications that maternal lifestyle during pregnancy (smoking and stress) contributes to symptoms of ADHD in children. We prospectively studied whether prenatal exposure to maternal smoking and/or stress is associated with ADHD symptoms and diagnostic criteria (according to DSM-IV) in 7-year-olds.Nulliparous Scandinavian women were consecutively recruited at their first prenatal health care visit and assessments of smoking and stress were collected at gestational weeks 10, 12, 20, 28, 32, and 36. Children were followed up at 7 years old. We obtained full data for 72% of the sample: ADHD symptoms were rated by 74% of mothers (n = 290) and 96% of eligible teachers (n = 208). Attrition analyses showed no differences on key variables between participants and non-participants at follow-up.Results of multiple regression analyses showed prenatal exposure to smoking (β = .16,p < .01) and stress (β = .18,p < .01) were independently associated with later symptoms of ADHD. Results of logistic regression analyses showed that fulfillment of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD was related to exposure to prenatal stress (β = .68,p < .01) especially in boys. The results were not confounded by sociodemographic factors or birth outcomes.This study provides evidence that prenatal exposure to stress and smoking is independently associated with later symptoms of ADHD in human children, particularly for boys. Because stress and smoking are relatively common during pregnancy, and yet preventable, these results are of public health significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between students'' (100 children aged 8 to 12) help-seeking behavior and impulsivity. Help-seeking behavior was evaluated using a naturalistic experimental paradigm in which children were placed in a problem-solving situation and had the opportunity to seek help from the experimenter, if needed. Impulsivity was analyzed using the Hyperactivity–Impulsivity Scale from the Teacher Rating Form of the Multidimensional Peer Nomination Inventory (TR-MPNI), Circle Tracing Task (CTT), Matching Familiar Figures (MFF), and Impulsiveness and Venturesomeness scales from the Eysenck Junior I6 questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that impulsivity was not related to children''s question asking. Different correlational patterns were found for question asking and other help-seeking variables (i.e., performance scores and mean reflection time preceding question asking). The two Eysenck Junior I6 scales showed no significant correlations with other measures. The importance of considering the many sidedness of both help-seeking and impulsivity constructs is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nursery teachers assessed 234 children aged 4½ to 6½ years on the DSM-IV criteria for hyperactivity–impulsivity and attention deficit (ADHD). Using slightly lenient classification criteria 21 children scored on hyperactivity–impulsivity and/or attention deficit and were classified as ‘at risk of ADHD’. An age-matched control group showed significant relations between acquisition of an advanced theory of mind, in particular understanding second-order beliefs, and executive competence as measured by several tasks from the NEPSY. This extends findings from younger children that theory of mind development relates to executive control. The group at risk of ADHD showed impaired performance relative to the control group on several executive tasks but no impairment at all on the advanced theory of mind tasks. This speaks against the theory that later theory of mind development is a consequence of improvements in executive control. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to examine the temperamental predictors of developmental trajectory subgroups of children's inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity problems through a short-term longitudinal study., Methods: Children ( n = 1344) were divided into younger (age 6-8 years) and older (age 9-11 years) groups in order to observe changes in inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity problems. Inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity problems were measured three times at 5-month intervals and Cloninger's four temperaments (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence) were examined on the first occasion only. A cohort sequential design and growth mixture model were used for investigating trajectory subgroups and multiple logistic regression analysis to examine the temperamental predictors., Results: Developmental trajectories of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity showed different subgroupings depending on the age group of children. Temperament (high score on novelty seeking and low score on persistence as well as high score on reward dependence) and gender predicted the likelihood of belonging to high-risk versus low-risk subgroups., Conclusion: Suggestions taking into account the predictors of developmental trajectories in inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity problems for future research are discussed along with the limitations of the current study.

Telomere length (TL) is highly heritable, and a shorter telomere at birth may increase the risk of age-related problems. Additionally, a shorter TL may represent a biomarker of chronic stress and has been associated with psychiatric disorders. However, no study has explored whether there is an association between TL and the symptoms of one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood: Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). We evaluated 61 (range, 6-16 years) ADHD children and their parents between 2012 and 2014. TL was measured with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method with telomere signal normalized to the signal from a single copy gene (36B4) to generate a T/S ratio. Family data was processed through a generalized estimated equations (GEE) model to determine the effect of parental TL on children TL. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were also evaluated in relation to TL. For the first time, we found general heritability to be the major mechanism explaining interindividual TL variation in ADHD (father-child: 95% CI = 0.35/0.91, p < 0.001; mother-child: 95% CI = 0.38/0.74, p < 0.001). The hyperactive-impulsive dimension of ADHD was related with children's TL (r = -339, p = 0.008) and maternal TL (r = -264, p = 0.047), but not with paternal TL (p > 0.05). The ADHD inattentive dimension was not significant associated with TL in this study (p > 0.05). TL was shown to be a potential biomarker of the ADHD symptoms burden in families affected by this neurodevelopmental disorder. However, it is crucial that future studies investigating the rate of telomere attrition in relation to psychiatric problems to consider the strong determination of TL at birth by inheritance.