Anne B Arnett1, Bruce F Pennington1, Erik G Willcutt2, John C DeFries3, Richard K Olson3. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA. 2. Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA. 3. Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Males show higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than do females. Potential explanations include genuine etiological differences or artifact. METHODS: 2,332 twin and sibling youth participated in behavioral and cognitive testing. Partially competing models of symptom severity distribution differences, the mean difference, and variance difference models, were tested within a randomly selected subsample. The Delta method was used to test for mediation of sex differences in ADHD symptom severity by processing speed, inhibition and working memory. RESULTS: The combined mean difference and variance difference models fully explained the sex difference in ADHD symptom severity. Cognitive endophenotypes mediated 14% of the sex difference effect. CONCLUSIONS: The sex difference in ADHD symptom severity is valid and may be due to differing genetic and cognitive liabilities between the sexes.
BACKGROUND: Males show higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than do females. Potential explanations include genuine etiological differences or artifact. METHODS: 2,332 twin and sibling youth participated in behavioral and cognitive testing. Partially competing models of symptom severity distribution differences, the mean difference, and variance difference models, were tested within a randomly selected subsample. The Delta method was used to test for mediation of sex differences in ADHD symptom severity by processing speed, inhibition and working memory. RESULTS: The combined mean difference and variance difference models fully explained the sex difference in ADHD symptom severity. Cognitive endophenotypes mediated 14% of the sex difference effect. CONCLUSIONS: The sex difference in ADHD symptom severity is valid and may be due to differing genetic and cognitive liabilities between the sexes.
Authors: Erik G Willcutt; Bruce F Pennington; Richard K Olson; Nomita Chhabildas; Jacqueline Hulslander Journal: Dev Neuropsychol Date: 2005 Impact factor: 2.253
Authors: Bruce F Pennington; Laura Santerre-Lemmon; Jennifer Rosenberg; Beatriz MacDonald; Richard Boada; Angela Friend; Daniel R Leopold; Stefan Samuelsson; Brian Byrne; Erik G Willcutt; Richard K Olson Journal: J Abnorm Psychol Date: 2011-10-24
Authors: Erik G Willcutt; Rebecca S Betjemann; Lauren M McGrath; Nomita A Chhabildas; Richard K Olson; John C DeFries; Bruce F Pennington Journal: Cortex Date: 2010-07-01 Impact factor: 4.027
Authors: James M Swanson; Sabrina Schuck; Miranda Mann Porter; Caryn Carlson; Catharina A Hartman; Joseph A Sergeant; Walter Clevenger; Michael Wasdell; Richard McCleary; Kimberley Lakes; Timothy Wigal Journal: Int J Educ Psychol Assess Date: 2012-04
Authors: Natalie V Miller; Kathryn A Degnan; Amie A Hane; Nathan A Fox; Andrea Chronis-Tuscano Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2018-06-11 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: Samantha L Regan; Jillian R Hufgard; Emily M Pitzer; Chiho Sugimoto; Yueh-Chiang Hu; Michael T Williams; Charles V Vorhees Journal: Neurobiol Dis Date: 2019-06-06 Impact factor: 5.996
Authors: Nathan A Kimbrel; Laura C Wilson; John T Mitchell; Eric C Meyer; Bryann B DeBeer; Paul J Silvia; Kim L Gratz; Patrick S Calhoun; Jean C Beckham; Sandra B Morissette Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2017-02-24 Impact factor: 3.222