Predictors of Parent-Reported Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Aged 6–7 years: A National Longitudinal Study

Abstract

This study examined the prenatal, postnatal and demographic predictors of parent-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an Australian population-based sample. Participants were families participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. There were approximately even numbers of males (51%) and females (49%) in the sample. Predictors of parent-reported ADHD status at Wave 2 (children aged 6-7 years) which were measured at Wave 1 (children aged 4-5 years) included cigarette smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy (prenatal factors); maternal postnatal depression, intensive care at birth, birth weight, and gestation (postnatal factors); and child gender, primary caregiver education, income, family composition, and maternal age at childbirth (socio-demographic factors). We found that male gender, cigarette smoking during pregnancy, and maternal postnatal depression were the only significant predictors (at the 5% level) of ADHD in the adjusted analysis (N = 3,474). Our results are consistent with previous findings that male gender and cigarette smoking during pregnancy are risk factors for ADHD. In addition, we found that postnatal depression was predictive of parent-reported ADHD.

Sleep and Self-Regulation from Birth to 7 Years

“…Emotional dysregulation was assessed by items such as: "This child . 39,40 We used this case definition in previous studies using LSAC data 40 and found that children with mother-reported ADHD were very similar to those with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms on the SDQ. Attentional regulation was assessed from Wave 2 only (i.e., not during infancy) by items such as: "This child .…”

Mediators and Moderators of the Relation between Parental ADHD Symptomatology and the Early Development of Child ADHD and ODD Symptoms

“…In turn, parental psychopathology is thought to increase children’s risk for ADHD and ODD through a combination of genetic liability for psychopathology and environmental risk (Bornovalova, Hicks, Iacono, & McGue, 2010). Maternal depression and anxiety have been consistently associated with child ADHD and ODD in cross-sectional (e.g., Segenreich et al, 2015; Tully, Iacono, & McGue, 2008) and prospective studies (Ashman, Dawson, & Panagiotides, 2008; O’Connor, Heron, Golding, Beveridge, & Glover, 2002; Sciberras, Ukoumunne, & Efron, 2011). Paternal antisocial symptoms are also associated with trajectories of higher levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention across early childhood (e.g., Galéra et al, 2011) and with ODD in children (e.g., Blazei, Iacono, & McGue, 2008; Frick et al, 1992).…”

The Associations Between Pre- and Postnatal Maternal Symptoms of Distress and Preschooler’s Symptoms of ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Anxiety

“…Preschool children, whose mothers reported prenatal anxiety (PNA) during early gestation (Loomans et al, 2011), or mid-to-late gestation (O'Connor, Heron, & Glover, 2002;O'Connor, Heron, Golding, & Glover, 2003) have been found to have an increased risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD)/ behaviour problems. However, prenatal maternal depression (PND) (O'Donnell, Glover, Barker, & O'Connor, 2014;Van Batenburg-Eddes et al, 2013) and maternal post-partum depression (PPD) (Carter, Garrity-Rokous, Chazan-Cohen, Little, & Briggs-Gowan, 2001;Kim-Cohen, Moffitt, Taylor, Pawlby, & Caspi, 2005;Sciberras, Ukoumunne, & Efron, 2011) have also been found related to ADHD and behaviour problems in preschool children. Impaired maternal sensitivity, insecure infant attachment, and less optimal mother-child interactions have been found associated with post-partum depressions (PPD), which may negatively impact on children's further cognitive and behavioural development (Stein et al, 2012a;Carter et al, 2001;Shaw & Vondra, 1995).…”