Childhood predictors of persistent ADHD in early adulthood: Results from the first follow-up study in China. Issue 3 (30th December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, Qian; Qian, Ying; He, Xiao-xiao; Sun, Li; Chang, Wei-li; Li, Yue-ling; Cao, Qing-jiu; Wang, Yu-feng; Qian, Qiu-jin
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Voume 230:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 905
• Page End: 912
• Publication Date: 2015-12-30
• Subjects: ADHD -- Hyperactivity/impulsivity -- IQ -- Predictors; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.11.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: It is known that childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persists into adulthood. Previous studies have demonstrated that gender, ADHD symptoms, functional impairment severity, medication treatment, IQ, comorbid with oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and follow-up periods were associated with ADHD persistence in longitudinal samples of western population. In this study, we attempted to widely investigate the predictors particularly in a Chinese Han ADHD cohort. 399 children who met DSM-IV ADHD criteria were followed up into early adulthood. Ordinal logistic regression combined with survival analysis were conducted to examine the association of retrospectively reported childhood factors with adult ADHD persistence based on both categorical indicators and quantitative traits. 46.37% of the participants still met ADHD criteria in adulthood. Logistic models and survival analyses indicated that ADHD combined type appeared as a significant risk factor for ADHD persistence while superior IQ played a protective role even after controlling for the other potential confounders. When quantitative traits were applied, a number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms and IQ still made significant contributions. In conclusion, our results indicated the syndromic continuity of ADHD. Further, a number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms were a risk factor while higher IQ was protective for ADHD persistence. Graphical abstract: Cox model: predictive value of childhood ADHD subtype for ADHD persistence. The adjusted effect of childhood ADHD subtype was plotted from a multivariate Cox model. The values for covariates were kept at male for gender, living in Beijing for residence, absence for ODD, CD, medication and low level for IQ. Highlights: This was the first follow-up study regarding ADHD outcomes in early adulthood and its potential predictors outside the USA and Europe samples. 46.37% of the participants still met ADHD criteria in adulthood and 72.69% continued to have a full or a partial ADHD persistence. Number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms appeared as a significant risk factor for ADHD persistence while IQ played a protective role.