Inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional-defiant symptoms and school failure.
BACKGROUND
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with school failure. Inattention has been mainly implicated for this association. Oppositional-defiant disorder's (ODD) impact on academic performance remains controversial, because of the high comorbidity between ODD and ADHD.


OBJECTIVE
To understand the role of inattention (IN), hyperactivity (H/I) and ODD in school failure.


METHODS
Parents and teachers filled out SNAP-IV questionnaires for 241 / 6th grade students. The associations of the scores of oppositional-defiant (OP), H/I and IN symptoms with school year failure were calculated.


RESULTS
IN was strongly correlated with school failure. H/I and OP were not associated with school failure, when controlled for IN.


CONCLUSIONS
OP and H/I symptoms do not play an important role in school failure, when controlled for IN symptoms. Our study supports the cross-cultural role of IN as a major predictor of school failure.
Serra-Pinheiro
Maria Antonia
MA
Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. totasp@hotmail.com
Mattos
Paulo
P
Regalla
Maria Angélica
MA
de Souza
Isabella
I
Paixão
Cristiane
C
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires