BACKGROUND: International researches found that comorbid psychiatric diagnoses are present in more than two-thirds of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases, and the patterns of comorbidity are influenced by developmental aspects. The aim of this study is to compare the comorbid diagnoses with ADHD on a Hungarian sample between a children and an adolescents. METHODS: Children and adolescents (under the age of 18) with ADHD according to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid, hospitalized for the first time to Vadaskert Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents were included in the study. The study sample was divided into two groups: children (3-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and independent sample t-test were applied. RESULTS: The most common comorbid diagnoses with ADHD were oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and suicide behavior in both age-groups, as well as manic episode in the child group and generalized anxiety disorder in the adolescent group. In the adolescent group the number of comorbid diagnoses with ADHD (mean number of diagnoses= 4.30; SD=2.84) was significantly higher than in the child group (mean number of diagnoses=2.61; SD=1.73) (t=-3,726; df=50,202; p<0,001). Comparing the prevalence of comorbid disorders between the two age groups, we did not found any diagnosis which was significantly more common in the child group than in the adolescent group, while major depressive disorder, suicide behavior, dysthymic disorder, alcohol and psychoactive substance dependence, psychotic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder occured significantly more frequently in the adolescent group. CONCLUSION: Our study draws the attention to the importance of the early recognition of ADHD, as well as the importance of the evaluation of comorbid externalizing and internalizing disorders in childhood and adolescence. Our result of the common co-occurrence of suicidal behavior and ADHD in both age-groups is of great clinical relevance. More studies are needed to investigate the frequent comorbidity of ADHD and manic episode in childhood, because of the several overlapping symptoms of these disorders.
BACKGROUND: International researches found that comorbid psychiatric diagnoses are present in more than two-thirds of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases, and the patterns of comorbidity are influenced by developmental aspects. The aim of this study is to compare the comorbid diagnoses with ADHD on a Hungarian sample between a children and an adolescents. METHODS:Children and adolescents (under the age of 18) with ADHD according to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid, hospitalized for the first time to Vadaskert Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents were included in the study. The study sample was divided into two groups: children (3-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and independent sample t-test were applied. RESULTS: The most common comorbid diagnoses with ADHD were oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and suicide behavior in both age-groups, as well as manic episode in the child group and generalized anxiety disorder in the adolescent group. In the adolescent group the number of comorbid diagnoses with ADHD (mean number of diagnoses= 4.30; SD=2.84) was significantly higher than in the child group (mean number of diagnoses=2.61; SD=1.73) (t=-3,726; df=50,202; p<0,001). Comparing the prevalence of comorbid disorders between the two age groups, we did not found any diagnosis which was significantly more common in the child group than in the adolescent group, while major depressive disorder, suicide behavior, dysthymic disorder, alcohol and psychoactive substance dependence, psychotic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder occured significantly more frequently in the adolescent group. CONCLUSION: Our study draws the attention to the importance of the early recognition of ADHD, as well as the importance of the evaluation of comorbid externalizing and internalizing disorders in childhood and adolescence. Our result of the common co-occurrence of suicidal behavior and ADHD in both age-groups is of great clinical relevance. More studies are needed to investigate the frequent comorbidity of ADHD and manic episode in childhood, because of the several overlapping symptoms of these disorders.