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Prevalence of probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms: result from a Spanish sample of children
Alberto José Cerrillo-Urbina1, Antonio García-Hermoso2, Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno1,3
1Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Care Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
Insights
This study found that 5.4% of Spanish children aged 4-6 have probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Younger children and those from low socio-economic backgrounds showed higher prevalence, indicating a need for targeted screening.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Public Health
Background:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for ADHD in early childhood is crucial for timely intervention.
- Previous research has highlighted potential associations between ADHD symptoms and demographic factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in Spanish children aged 4 to 6 years.
- To analyze the association of probable ADHD symptoms with sex, age, school type, origin, and socio-economic status.
- To identify key predictors for probable ADHD to inform screening and intervention strategies.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1189 children aged 4 to 6 years from primary schools in Spain.
- Utilized ADHD Rating Scales IV for parents and teachers to assess probable ADHD symptoms.
- Employed the 90th percentile cut-off to define prevalence for inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and combined subtypes.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of probable ADHD symptoms was 5.4% (2.6% inattention, 1.5% hyperactivity/impulsivity, 1.3% combined).
- Children aged 4-5 years exhibited a higher prevalence of probable ADHD (inattention and total subtypes) compared to 6-year-olds.
- Children from low socio-economic status backgrounds showed a significantly higher prevalence of probable ADHD symptoms across all subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Early identification and understanding of ADHD predictors are essential for effective intervention.
- Screening efforts should prioritize vulnerable groups, including younger children and those from low socio-economic status families.
- These findings support targeted public health initiatives for early childhood ADHD detection in Spain.
Background:
The aims of our study were to: (i) determine the prevalence of children aged 4 to 6 years with probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the Spanish population; and (ii) analyse the association of probable ADHD symptoms with sex, age, type of school, origin (native or foreign) and socio-economic status in these children.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 1189 children (4 to 6 years-old) from 21 primary schools in 19 towns from the Ciudad Real and Cuenca provinces, Castilla-La Mancha region, Spain. The ADHD Rating Scales IV for parents and teachers was administered to determine the probability of ADHD. The 90th percentile cut-off was used to establish the prevalence of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity and combined subtype.
Results:
The prevalence of children with probable ADHD symptoms was 5.4% (2.6% inattention subtype symptoms, 1.5% hyperactivity/impulsivity subtype symptoms, and 1.3% combined subtype symptoms). Children aged 4 to 5 years showed a higher prevalence of probable ADHD in the inattention subtype symptoms and in total of all subtypes than children aged 6 years, and children with low socio-economic status reported a higher prevalence of probable ADHD symptoms (each subtype and total of all of them) than those with medium and high socio-economic status.
Conclusions:
Early diagnosis and an understanding of the predictors of being probable ADHD are needed to direct appropriate identification and intervention efforts. These screening efforts should be especially addressed to vulnerable groups, particularly low socio-economic status families and younger children.
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