Characteristics of Children With ADHD and Comorbid Anxiety

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2016

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The following comorbid subgroups of ADHD have been proposed: ADHD Only, ADHD + anxiety disorders (ANX), ADHD + oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD), and ADHD + ODD/CD + ANX. The current study examined a subset of these groups. METHOD: A total of 134 children and adolescents (M age = 9.92; range = 6-17) from a clinic-referred sample (n = 407) were grouped based on a semistructured diagnostic interview: ADHD only (n = 41), ADHD + ANX (n = 31), and ANX Only (n = 62). RESULTS: Findings supported greater parent-reported anxiety symptoms in anxiety groups, and greater parent- and teacher-reported attention problems in ADHD groups. ADHD groups performed worse on a continuous performance test, whereas ADHD + ANX performed worse on working memory than ADHD Only. ADHD + ANX reported more physical anxiety symptoms than ADHD Only. CONCLUSION: Comorbid anxiety should be considered in ADHD assessment and treatment.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of attention disorders

First Page

636

Last Page

44

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