Anxiety in young people with ADHD: clinical and self-report outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
(a) To determine the prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorder in ADHD, defined by diagnostic criteria and (b) to compare anxiety as reported by parents and participants with clinician assessment.


METHODS
Children with ADHD were assessed for comorbid anxiety disorder using the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule for Children. Parent report (Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Long version) and self-report (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Brain Resource Inventory for Screening Cases-Child version) scales were used to assess anxiety. The ADHD-Rating Scale IV was used to measure ADHD symptoms.


RESULTS
Of 134 participants (11.0 ± 2.6 years), 31.3% had comorbid anxiety disorder. Comorbid anxiety disorder was associated with greater severity of ADHD. Anxiety symptoms from parent reports (p < .05) but not from child/self-report (p > .05) correlated with clinician assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Assessment for comorbid anxiety disorder and inclusion of parent rating in this assessment are important components of ADHD treatment in children and adolescents.
Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School-Westmead and Westmead Millennium Institute, New South Wales, Australia University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Tracey W
TW
Tsang
Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School-Westmead and Westmead Millennium Institute, New South Wales, Australia Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia The Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia michaek2@chw.edu.au.
Michael R
MR
Kohn
Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Daryl
D
Efron
Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School-Westmead and Westmead Millennium Institute, New South Wales, Australia Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia The Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
Simon D
SD
Clarke
Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Brain Health Clinics, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
C Richard
CR
Clark
Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Christopher
C
Lamb
Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney Medical School-Westmead and Westmead Millennium Institute, New South Wales, Australia University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Leanne M
LM
Williams
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index