Inattention/overactivity following early severe institutional deprivation: presentation and associations in early adolescence.
The current study examined the persistence and phenotypic presentation of inattention/overactivity (I/O) into early adolescence, in a sample of institution reared (IR) children adopted from Romania before the age of 43 months. Total sample comprised 144 IR and 21 non-IR Romanian adoptees, and a comparison group of 52 within-UK adoptees, assessed at ages 6 and 11 years. I/O was rated using Rutter Scales completed by parents and teachers. I/O continued to be strongly associated with institutional deprivation, with continuities between ages 6 and 11 outcomes. There were higher rates of deprivation-related I/O in boys than girls, and I/O was strongly associated with conduct problems, disinhibited attachment and executive function but not IQ more generally, independently of gender. Deprivation-related I/O shares many common features with ADHD, despite its different etiology and putative developmental mechanisms. I/O is a persistent domain of impairment following early institutional deprivation of 6 months or more, suggesting there may be a possible pathway to impairment through some form of neuro-developmental programming during critical periods of early development.
Stevens
Suzanne E
SE
Developmental Brain-Behaviour Unit, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. s.stevens@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Sonuga-Barke
Edmund J S
EJ
Kreppner
Jana M
JM
Beckett
Celia
C
Castle
Jenny
J
Colvert
Emma
E
Groothues
Christine
C
Hawkins
Amanda
A
Rutter
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D009769:Object Attachment; D010641:Phenotype; D012383:Romania; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires