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Co-existing psychiatric problems in ADHD in the ADORE cohort

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Abstract

Objective

To study the impact of co-existing psychiatric problems with ADHD on behavioural features, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in subjects of the ADORE cohort (N=1,478).

Methods

The following six groups of associated psychiatric problems with ADHD were compared: oppositional-defiant disorder or conduct disorder only (ODD/CD); anxiety or depressive disorder only (ANX/DEP); tic/Tourette’s disorder only (TIC/ Tourette's); developmental co-ordination disorder only (DCD); two or more associated conditions; and none. Dependent variables included the ADHD Rating Scale-IV, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale, the Children's Global Assessment Scale and the Child Health Illness Profile-Child Edition.

Results

Having multiple co-existing psychiatric problems increased the severity of ADHD in all domains, be it behavioural features, psychosocial impairment or deterioration of quality of life. A similar though less consistent pattern applied to subjects with co-existing ODD/CD.

Conclusions

The ADORE study provides impressive evidence for the far-reaching consequences of co-existing psychiatric problems in children with ADHD that warrant intensive consideration in clinical assessment and treatment.

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Abbreviations

ADHD:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ADORE:

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe

ADHD-RS-IV:

ADHD Rating Scale-IV

ANX:

Anxiety

CD:

Conduct Disorder

CHIP-CE:

Child Health and Illness Profile – Child Edition

CGAS:

Children's Global Assessment Scale

CGI-S:

Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale

DCC:

Developmental Co-ordination Disorder

ODD:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

RD:

Reading Disabilities

SDQ:

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

SLD:

Specific Learning Disorder

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Chid and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Neumünsterallee 9, 8032, Zürich, Switzerland

    Hans-Christoph Steinhausen

  2. Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Buskerud Hospital, Drammen, Norway

    Torunn Stene Nøvik

  3. Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Gisli Baldursson

  4. Dept. of Child Neuropsychiatry, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

    Paolo Curatolo

  5. Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Research Centre, Windlesham, Surrey, UK

    Maria J. Lorenzo

  6. Medical Center Rijnmond South, Dept. of Pediatrics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Rob Rodrigues Pereira

  7. Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

    Aribert Rothenberger

Authors
  1. Hans-Christoph Steinhausen
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  2. Torunn Stene Nøvik
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  3. Gisli Baldursson
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  4. Paolo Curatolo
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  5. Maria J. Lorenzo
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  6. Rob Rodrigues Pereira
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  7. Stephen J. Ralston**
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  8. Aribert Rothenberger
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Consortia

ADORE Study Group*

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hans-Christoph Steinhausen.

Additional information

* Members of the ADORE Study Group G Baldursson, D Coghill, P Curatolo, S Dalsgaard, M Döpfner, B Falissard, A Hervas, MF Le Heuzey, TS Nøvik, RR Pereira, U Preuss, S Ralston, P Rasmussen, AW Riley, A Rothenberger, G Spiel, HC Steinhausen, L Vlasveld

**Employed by Eli Lilly and Company at the time the research was performed

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Steinhausen, HC., Nøvik, T.S., Baldursson, G. et al. Co-existing psychiatric problems in ADHD in the ADORE cohort. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 15 (Suppl 1), i25–i29 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-1004-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-1004-y

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