Depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and quality of life in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during three-month methylphenidate treatment

Abstract

The current study was designed to investigate the changes that occur in depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and health-related quality of life during methylphenidate (MPH) treatment in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty-five treatment naive children with ADHD, aged 8-14, were assessed based on self, parent and teacher reports at the baseline and at the end of the first and third month of MPH treatment regarding changes in inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Changes in the quality of life were also noted. Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests with Bonferroni corrections were conducted in order to evaluate the data. Symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity were significantly reduced (p < 0.017) following a three-month MPH treatment. There were significant decreases in depression (p = 0.004), trait anxiety (p = 0.000) and checking compulsion symptom scores (p = 0.001). Moreover, parents reported significant improvements in psychosocial (p = 0.001) and total scores (p = 0.009) of quality of life, despite no change in physical health scores (p > 0.05). Children's ratings of quality of life measures showed no significant changes in physical health and psychosocial scores (p > 0.05), while total scores significantly improved (p = 0.001) after the treatment. Over a three-month MPH treatment, depression, trait anxiety and checking compulsion symptoms decreased and quality of life seemed to improve along with those of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Methylphenidate effects on blood serotonin and melatonin levels may help to synchronise biological rhythms in children with ADHD

“…Improvement in CDI scores was not related to the restoration of the low morning serotonin levels observed in the ADHD group. These clinical data are consistent with those reported by other authors (Tomas Vila et al, 2010;Gurkan et al, 2010). In a 10-year prospective follow-up study among young adults with ADHD, Biederman et al, found evidence that stimulant treatment decreases the risk for subsequent comorbid psychiatric disorders (i.e., depressive and anxiety disorders and disruptive behaviour) and academic failure (Biederman et al, 2009).…”

Low quality of life scores in school children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder related to anxiety

“…Children's ratings of QoL measurements showed no significant changes in physical health and psychosocial scores, while total scores significantly improved after treatment. The researchers concluded that, over a 3-month MPH treatment, depression, trait anxiety and checking compulsion symptoms decreased and that QoL improved, along with the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity 18 .…”

Paediatric trauma patients and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: correlation and significance

“…To rate their child's behaviour, the parents respond to each item on a four-point Likert scale: 0, never; 1, rarely; 2, often; 3, always. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders —fourth edition (DSM-IV) symptom subscale scores of the CPRS-R were used to determine the severity of the ADHD symptoms 11. The following subscale scores were evaluated: cognitive problems/inattention (CG/I); hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Index (ADHD-I); Conners' Global Index—Discomfort-Impulsivity (CGI-DI); DSM-IV symptom subscales—inattention (DSMIV SS-I); DSM-IV symptom subscales—hyperactivity–impulsivity (DSM-IV SS-HI); DSM-IV symptom subscales—total (DSM-IV SS-T).…”