title: The association between youth violence exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a sample of fifth-graders.
abstract: The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between violence exposures (no exposure, witness or victim only, and both witness and victim) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, as well as the potential moderating role of gender. Data from 4,745 5th graders and their primary caregivers were drawn from the Healthy Passages study of adolescent health. Parent respondents completed the DISC Predictive Scales for ADHD, and youth provided information about exposure to violence. Results indicated that youth who reported both witnessing and victimization had more parent-reported ADHD symptoms and were more likely to meet predictive criteria for ADHD. Among those with both exposures, girls exhibited a steeper increase in ADHD symptoms and higher probability of meeting predictive criteria than did boys. Findings indicate that being both victim-of and witness-to violence is significantly associated with ADHD symptoms particularly among girls.
authors.affiliation: Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9833-3791
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Schwebel
authors.affiliation: RAND Health.
authors.forename: Marc N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Susanna N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital.
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Toomey
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital.
authors.forename: Katie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuccaro
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tortolero Emery
authors.affiliation: National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Banspach
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D000069581:Exposure to Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics