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The behavioural profile of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and of their siblings

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Abstract

The behavioural profiles in N = 69 index children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), N = 32 siblings with ADHD, N = 35 siblings without ADHD, and N = 36 normal controls were compared by the use of standardized parent and teacher rating scales. The four groups were matched by age and IQ. The behavioural profiles of the two ADHD groups were very similar not only in the behavioural domains of ADHD, but also in scales measuring emotional and conduct problems. Siblings without ADHD shared more similarities with normal controls except for more emotional problems. These general trends were stronger in the parent compared to the teacher ratings. These findings indicate that not only ADHD-related but also other behaviours show a strong family aggregation. The informant differences may reflect context dependent differences in child behaviour and contrast effects particularly in parental ratings.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, grant 32-109591 to H.-C. Steinhausen. The recruitment of ADHD sib pairs was in part done within the IMAGE project which was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health Grant R01MH062873 to Steve V. Faraone. The design of the study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.

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Correspondence to Hans-Christoph Steinhausen.

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Steinhausen, HC., Zülli-Weilenmann, N., Brandeis, D. et al. The behavioural profile of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and of their siblings. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 21, 157–164 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-012-0249-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-012-0249-x

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