Temporal stability of ADHD in the high-IQ population: results from the MGH Longitudinal Family Studies of ADHD

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Jul;47(7):817-825. doi: 10.1097/CHI.0b013e318172eecf.

Abstract

Objective: The diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in high-IQ youths remains controversial.

Method: To further explore the diagnostic validity of ADHD in this population, we studied two cohorts of high-IQ youths, both with and without ADHD, across a 4.5-year period.

Results: Compared to those without ADHD, high-IQ youths with ADHD had significantly higher rates of mood, anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorders at follow-up. In addition, ADHD status was a significant predictor for higher impairments across most social, academic, and family functional domains. Associations between baseline and follow-up IQ scores did not differ between groups. Syndromal persistence rates of ADHD were similar between high-IQ and average-IQ youths with ADHD.

Conclusions: These results provide further support for the predictive validity of ADHD in high-IQ youths.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Achievement
  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / diagnosis
  • Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Mood Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mood Disorders / psychology
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Social Adjustment
  • Wechsler Scales / statistics & numerical data