Is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder a valid diagnosis in the presence of high IQ? Results from the MGH Longitudinal Family Studies of ADHD.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess the validity of diagnosing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in high IQ children and to further characterize the clinical features associated with their ADHD.


METHODS
We operationalized giftedness/high IQ as having a full scale IQ >/=120. We identified 92 children with a high IQ who did not have ADHD and 49 children with a high IQ that met diagnostic criteria for ADHD who had participated in the Massachusetts General Hospital Longitudinal Family Studies of ADHD.


RESULTS
Of our participants with ADHD and a high IQ, the majority (n = 35) met criteria for the Combined subtype. Relative to control participants, children with ADHD and high IQ had a higher prevalence rate of familial ADHD in first-degree relatives, repeated grades more often, had a poorer performance on the WISC-III Block Design, had more comorbid psychopathology, and had more functional impairments across a number of domains.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with a high IQ and ADHD showed a pattern of familiality as well as cognitive, psychiatric and behavioral features consistent with the diagnosis of ADHD in children with average IQ. These data suggest that the diagnosis of ADHD is valid among high IQ children.
Antshel
Kevin M
KM
State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NY, USA.
Faraone
Stephen V
SV
Stallone
Kimberly
K
Nave
Andrea
A
Kaufmann
Felice A
FA
Doyle
Alysa
A
Fried
Ronna
R
Seidman
Larry
L
Biederman
Joseph
J
D000124:Achievement; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002672:Child, Gifted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003071:Cognition; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires