Symptomatic Associations between Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Trauma, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the symptomatic associations between
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology, trauma
exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. The
sample consisted of 16,340 children from a population-based Swedish twin
study. Trauma exposure, PTSD, and ADHD symptomatology was parentrated
in a structured telephone interview. Trauma exposure and subsequent
PTSD was positively associated with ADHD prevalence. ADHD in traumaexposed
individuals was more severe than in non-trauma-exposed
individuals. Individuals with PTSD and ADHD displayed an elevated
ADHD symptomatology compared to trauma-exposed individuals without
PTSD. In comorbid ADHD and PTSD, the order of trauma and onset of
ADHD did not impact ADHD severity. The study confirms the association
between ADHD, trauma exposure, and PTSD and suggests that traumaexposed
children are at risk for more severe ADHD.
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