Are attentional-hyperactivity deficits unidimensional or multidimensional syndromes? Empirical findings from a community survey.
Factor analysis on teacher ratings of symptoms in a probability community sample of children aged 6 to 16 years (N = 614) yielded two factors: Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity. Subsequent cluster analyses on the scores of factorially derived scales for a subsample of 170 children with a diagnosis of attention deficit disorder with (ADDH) and without hyperactivity (ADDWO), or normals, resulted in five clusters that accounted for 88% of the variance. The existence of these clusters was confirmed using external validating criteria. The data support a bidimensional conceptualization of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, one dimension consisting of symptoms of inattention and another of symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity. The data also suggests that a condition very similar to the DSM-III-R description of undifferentiated attention-deficit disorder also exists as a distinct entity.
Bauermeister
J J
JJ
Department of Psychology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras 00931.
Alegría
M
M
Bird
H R
HR
Rubio-Stipec
M
M
Canino
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology