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Brief Report: Stability of ADHD Symptoms in Early Childhood

Meghan Miller1,2, Monica Orme3, Antonia Piergies1,2,4

  • 1Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California.

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53
|July 23, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms show moderate stability from toddlerhood to preschool. Early symptom measurement can help identify toddlers at higher risk for later behavioral challenges, aiding early screening efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) symptom stability is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
  • Early identification of neurodevelopmental risks can inform timely interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the stability of ADHD symptoms from toddlerhood (24 months) to the preschool period (36-64 months).
  • To examine early ADHD symptom variability and change over time in relation to preschool clinical presentation.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up of 256 infants with varied neurodevelopmental risk (family history of ADHD, autism, or neither).
  • Parental completion of the Preschool ADHD Rating Scale at 24 months and 36-64 months.
  • Classification of children into ADHD Concerns, Autism, or Comparison groups at the preschool visit.

Main Results:

  • Moderate stability of ADHD symptoms was observed (summary score correlations of 0.56-0.60).
  • Higher initial ADHD symptom scores at 24 months were noted in children with later ADHD concerns or autism diagnoses.
  • ADHD symptoms increased in the ADHD Concerns and Autism groups, but decreased in the Comparison group over time.

Conclusions:

  • Early symptom measurement at age 2 may identify toddlers at higher risk for later behavioral challenges, supporting early screening.
  • Further research can delineate developmental typicality/atypicality and the specificity of early symptoms to long-term outcomes.
Abstract

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