Parental age at childbirth and risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Kyoung Min; Choi, Yu Jung; Lim, Myung Ho; Ha, Mina; Kwon, Ho-Jang
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychiatric research. Volume 131(2020)
• Page Start: 180
• Page End: 186
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Child and adolescent -- ADHD -- Risk factor -- Parent -- Age at birth; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental Disorders -- Periodicals; Maladies mentales -- Périodiques; Psychiatry; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.09.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3956

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigated the association between parental age at birth and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in their children. A total of 30, 552 children aged 6–12 years participated in the study. ADHD symptoms were rated using the Korean version of the ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) by parents. K-ARS scores and odds ratio (OR) for children with high-risk ADHD presented a U-shape curve depending on the age of both parents at birth. The total K-ARS scores and OR for high-risk ADHD were highest in children of fathers and mothers belonging to the youngest age group (aged ≤20) (K-ARS = 12.33, OR = 2.89 vs K-ARS = 10.98, OR = 2.63) and second highest in children whose father's or mother's age at birth was the oldest (K-ARS = 9.63, OR = 1.65 vs K-ARS = 9.95, OR = 1.95). Our study identified that both spectrums of age—young and old of either parent—were associated with ADHD in children. These are new findings considering that old age of parents as the correlates of offspring ADHD is the inconsistent finding with previous studies and warrant future studies in other cultures that include more detailed information on ADHD symptoms of children and their parents are needed to confirm the present findings. Highlights: Symptom severity of ADHD in children presented a U-shape based on age at birth of both parents. Young age of either parent at birth (<20 years) was associated with ADHD in the offspring. Older age of either parent at birth (≥41 years) was also associated with ADHD in the offspring. Considering age for childbirth may improve the mental health outcomes of offspring.