Is behavioral regulation in children with ADHD aggravated by comorbid anxiety disorder?
BACKGROUND
The present study investigated the impact of coexisting anxiety disorder in children with ADHD on their ability to regulate behavior.


METHODS
Parent reports on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in a comorbid group of children with ADHD and anxiety (n = 11) were compared to BRIEF reports in a group of children with a "pure" ADHD (n = 23), a "pure" anxiety (n = 24) and a group without any diagnosis (n = 104) in a 2 (ADHD vs. no ADHD) × 2 (anxiety vs. no anxiety) design.


RESULTS
The children with ADHD and anxiety disorder scored significantly higher on the Inhibit scale than children within the other three groups. Main effects of diagnosis appeared in ADHD children on the Inhibit, Emotional Control, and Working Memory scales, and on the Shift and Emotional Control scales in anxious children.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that a behavioral dysregulation in ADHD children is aggravated by comorbid anxiety.
Sørensen
Lin
L
University of Bergen, Norway. Lin.Sorensen@psybp.uib.no
Plessen
Kerstin J
KJ
Nicholas
Jude
J
Lundervold
Astri J
AJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires