title: Diversity in pathways to common childhood disruptive behavior disorders.
abstract: Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are highly comorbid, a phenomenon thought to be due to shared etiological factors and mechanisms. Little work has attempted to chart multiple-level-of-analysis pathways (i.e., simultaneously including biological, environmental, and trait influences) to ODD and ADHD, the goal of the present investigation. 559 children/adolescents (325 boys) between the ages of 6 and 18 participated in a multi-stage, comprehensive diagnostic procedure. 148 were classified as ODD; 309 were classified as ADHD, based on parent, teacher, and clinician ratings. Children provided buccal or salivary samples of DNA, assayed for select markers in DRD4 and 5HTT. Parents completed the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire and the California Q-Sort. Children completed the Child Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale. Correlational associations consistent with multiple-level-of-analysis pathways to ODD and ADHD emerged. For ODD, children with the short allele of the 5HTT promoter polymorphism had higher neuroticism and ODD symptoms regardless of level of self-blame in relation to inter-parental conflict, whereas children without this allele had more ODD symptoms only in the context of more self-blame for inter-parental conflict. For ADHD (and ODD), children homozygous for the long allele of DRD4 120 bp insertion polymorphism had lower conscientiousness when exposed to inconsistent parenting, whereas children without this genotype were more resilient to effects of inconsistent discipline on conscientiousness. Thus, ODD and ADHD appear to demonstrate somewhat distinct correlational associations between etiological factors and mechanisms consistent with pathway models using a multiple-level-of-analysis approach.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, 2005 Geology & Psychology Building, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA. mmartel@uno.edu
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolas
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jernigan
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friderici
authors.forename: Joel T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Nigg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000235:genetics*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011678:Punishment; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4