Sex differences in ADHD symptom severity. (4th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arnett, Anne B.; Pennington, Bruce F.; Willcutt, Erik G.; DeFries, John C.; Olson, Richard K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry and allied disciplines. Volume 56:Number 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 632
• Page End: 639
• Publication Date: 2014-10-04
• Subjects: Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; 155.4
• DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12337
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9630

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jcpp12337-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jcpp12337-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Males show higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than do females. Potential explanations include genuine etiological differences or artifact.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12337-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>2, 332 twin and sibling youth participated in behavioral and cognitive testing. Partially competing models of symptom severity distribution differences, the mean difference, and variance difference models, were tested within a randomly selected subsample. The Delta method was used to test for mediation of sex differences in ADHD symptom severity by processing speed, inhibition and working memory.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12337-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>The combined mean difference and variance difference models fully explained the sex difference in ADHD symptom severity. Cognitive endophenotypes mediated 14% of the sex difference effect.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12337-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The sex difference in ADHD symptom severity is valid and may be due to differing genetic and cognitive liabilities between the sexes.</p> </sec> </abstract>