ADHD and infant disorganized attachment: a prospective study of children next-born after stillbirth.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether infant disorganized attachment predicts ADHD at school age.


METHODS
A cohort of 53 children who had been identified as having significant levels of disorganized attachment in infancy is compared to a control group. Symptoms and signs of ADHD at age 7 are evaluated together with a range of relevant maternal variables.


RESULTS
An association is found between infant disorganized attachment scores and teacher-rated symptoms of ADHD (but not ADHD caseness). Probable ADHD caseness in the child is associated with self-rated retrospective ADHD scores in mothers. Possible ADHD caseness is associated with a measure of unresolved mourning in mothers. Mother-rated ADHD in the child was associated with low overall maternal psychosocial functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of a link between scores for disorganized attachment at 1 year and later teacher-rated symptoms of ADHD suggests the need for further studies.
Pinto
Carmen
C
St. George's University of London, UK. Carmen.Pinto@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Turton
Penelope
P
Hughes
Patricia
P
White
Sarah
S
Gillberg
Christopher
C
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001722:Birth Order; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D035781:Siblings; D050497:Stillbirth