Exploring ADHD age-of-onset criterion in Brazilian adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To explore age-of-onset criterion for the diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a school sample of young Brazilian adolescents.


METHODS
191 students aged 12 to 14 years were evaluated using DSM-IV ADHD criteria, measures of ADHD symptoms and global impairment.


RESULTS
Both adolescents with ADHD (n = 30) and adolescents who fulfilled all DSM-IV ADHD criteria, except age of onset of impairment criterion (ADHD w/o age-of-onset, n = 27) had significantly higher scores on Attention Problems, Delinquent and Aggressive Behavior scales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and lower scores on the Child Global Assessment scale (CGAS) than non-ADHD adolescents (n = 134). Adolescents with ADHD and youths with ADHD w/o age-of-onset did not differ significantly in any measure assessed.


CONCLUSIONS
These results concur with recent literature proposing revision of the age-of-onset criterion for the diagnosis of ADHD.
Rohde
L A
LA
Serviço de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência Hospital de Clínicas de Porto, Porto Alegre Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. lrohde@zaz.com.br
Biederman
J
J
Zimmermann
H
H
Schmitz
M
M
Martins
S
S
Tramontina
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D017668:Age of Onset; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales