Community Based Study for Characteristics of Children with Mild Sub-Threshold Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Kim, Boong Nyun

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of subjects with sub-threshold mild ADHD symptoms from community samples from the views of demographic factors, socio-school function, comorbidity, character trait and family function. METHOD: The subjects were selected randomly from primary schools in Jinju. They were composed of 702 students attending ordinary school and living with parents. Based on scores from 2 scales and report from teachers in charge, they were divided into three groups; definite ADHD group (29), mild ADHD group (136) and control group (542). They were evaluated through DBDS, CBCL, FACES-III, Family APGAR, CCI by parents. Data analyses were performed by PC version SPSS.
RESULTS
Compared with the definite ADHD group, the mild ADHD group showed significantly lower scores in anxious/depressive symptoms, social immaturity, aggression, ODD score, although they scored higher compared to the control group. In withdrawal, somatic complaints, thought disorder, delinquency, internalizing symptoms and novelty seeking score, the mild group was similar to the definite group. The mild group, however, had mild functional impairment in socio-school activities, family function. Distribution of frequency in SES was almost same in the mild and the control group.
CONCLUSION
This study implies that children with mild ADHD symptoms seem to have diverse comorbid psychiatric disorders. Careful psychiatric attention must be paid to this group to improve their functional impairment and to prevent further functional decline.