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ADHD and comorbidity in childhood.
1Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit, Psychiatry Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 02114, USA. tspencer@partners.org
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|September 12, 2006
Summary
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often co-occurs with other conditions, suggesting it is a spectrum of disorders. Comorbid ADHD and other disorders are linked to worse social and emotional outcomes in children.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Child and adolescent psychiatry
- Clinical psychology
Background:
- Growing evidence links attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with mood, anxiety, and conduct disorders.
- ADHD may represent a heterogeneous group of conditions rather than a single entity.
- Understanding comorbidities is crucial for clarifying ADHD's etiology and course.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the implications of comorbidity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- To highlight ADHD as a spectrum of conditions with varied risk factors and outcomes.
- To emphasize the need for investigating ADHD subgroups and their associated difficulties.
Main Methods:
- Review of accumulating evidence on ADHD comorbidity.
- Analysis of follow-up studies on children diagnosed with ADHD.
- Examination of social, emotional, and psychological outcomes in ADHD subgroups.
Main Results:
- High comorbidity rates observed between ADHD and mood, anxiety, and conduct disorders.
- Subgroups of children with ADHD and comorbid conditions exhibit poorer outcomes.
- Significant social, emotional, and psychological difficulties are associated with comorbid ADHD.
Conclusions:
- ADHD is likely a group of conditions, not a single disorder.
- Comorbid conditions in ADHD are associated with more severe functional impairments.
- Further research into ADHD heterogeneity is essential for understanding its etiology, course, and outcome.
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