The relations between DISC-IV DSM diagnoses of ADHD and multi-informant CBCL-AP syndrome scores.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have examined the relation between attention problems (APs) obtained with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessed with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). We will examine this relation across sex using multi-informant data.


METHODS
Parents of 12538 twins, aged 7, 10, and 12 years, and teachers of twins, aged 10 years, completed the questionnaires. The mothers of a sample of 283 boys and 291 girls who scored either low or high on longitudinal maternal CBCL-AP were interviewed.


RESULTS
Children with a low AP score obtained a negative ADHD diagnosis in 96% of cases. Children with a high AP score obtained a positive diagnosis in 36% (girls) and 59% (boys) of cases. The association between paternal and maternal AP ratings and ADHD was the same, whereas the association between teacher AP ratings and ADHD was low.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between AP and ADHD is higher in boys than girls, possibly because of a bias toward the male manifestation of ADHD.
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. em.derks@psy.vu.nl
Eske M
EM
Derks
Jim J
JJ
Hudziak
Conor V
CV
Dolan
Robert F
RF
Ferdinand
Dorret I
DI
Boomsma
D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014427:Twins