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Longitudinal Associations Between Internalizing and Externalizing Comorbidities and Functional Outcomes for Children with ADHD

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Abstract

This study examined functional outcomes for children with ADHD by comorbidity status. Children with ADHD (5–13 years) were recruited from 21 pediatric practices and followed up 12 months later (n = 199). Parent and teacher-reported baseline and 12 month surveys measured peer problems, daily functioning, quality of life (QoL), parent mental health, and family QoL. The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children IV assessed mental health comorbidities at baseline. Linear regression models were conducted, adjusting for socio-demographics, ADHD severity, and baseline functioning (where possible). In adjusted analyses, children with ADHD and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing comorbidities had poorer QoL, greater peer problems, and poorer family QoL, compared to children with ADHD alone. The parents of children with ADHD and internalizing and externalizing comorbidities alone, also reported poorer family QoL, compared to children with ADHD alone. Children with ADHD and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing comorbidities appear particularly vulnerable to poorer functioning.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all families and pediatricians for taking part in the study. We would also like to thank the investigators on the broader Sleeping Sound with ADHD study for their support: Daryl Efron, Frank Oberklaid, and Fiona Mensah. This study has been funded by a Project Grant from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (No. 607362). Dr. Sciberras is funded by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship in Population Health (No. 1037159). Ms. Lycett is funded by a Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) Postgraduate Health Scholarship. A/Prof. Hiscock’s position is funded by an NHMRC Career Development Award (No. 607351). This research was supported by the Victorian Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Program to the MCRI.

Conflict of interest

The authors declared that they had no conflict of interest with respect to their authorship or the publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Daniel Armstrong, Kate Lycett, Harriet Hiscock & Emma Sciberras

  2. Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Daniel Armstrong & Esther Care

  3. Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Esther Care

  4. Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Kate Lycett, Harriet Hiscock & Emma Sciberras

  5. Centre for Community Child Health, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

    Harriet Hiscock & Emma Sciberras

  6. The Royal Children’s Hospital, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia

    Emma Sciberras

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  1. Daniel Armstrong
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  2. Kate Lycett
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  4. Esther Care
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Correspondence to Emma Sciberras.

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Armstrong, D., Lycett, K., Hiscock, H. et al. Longitudinal Associations Between Internalizing and Externalizing Comorbidities and Functional Outcomes for Children with ADHD. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 46, 736–748 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-014-0515-x

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