Latent Class Analysis of ADHD Neurodevelopmental and Mental Health Comorbidities.
Benjamin Zablotsky, Matthew D Bramlett, Susanna N Visser and 2 others
PMID 28902066WHAT IT FOUND
Among 2,495 children with current parent-reported ADHD, 61.3% had another diagnosed condition.
Four groups emerged: low comorbidity, internalizing disorders, developmental disorders, and high comorbidity, with different school-service patterns.
Key findings
01In 2,495 children with current parent-reported ADHD, 61.3% had at least one current co-occurring neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorder.
02The four-group solution placed 64.5% in low comorbidity, 18.5% in predominantly internalizing disorders, 13.7% in predominantly developmental disorders, and 3.3% in high comorbidity.
03Children in the predominantly-developmental-disorders class had high rates of language disorder (62.2%), intellectual disability (47.1%), autism spectrum disorder (37.9%), and learning disability (85.7%), and 93.7% received current school services.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The parent-reported diagnoses and treatment information were not validated by a clinician, so some conditions may be missed or mislabelled. The survey is a snapshot, so it cannot show when co-occurring conditions began or whether treatment came before or after comorbidity. The sample includes children whose ADHD diagnosis had been reported for at least two years, so children with a more recent diagnosis are not represented. The study used a telephone survey with follow-up weighting, and the authors note that nonresponse bias cannot be completely ruled out. The study describes class patterns and service use, not the effects of any treatment.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial relationships relevant to the article and no conflicts of interest. The underlying survey was sponsored by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these classes as evidence that medication, school services, or psychosocial treatment caused better outcomes. The data are a parent-reported snapshot, so they cannot show the order of comorbidity and treatment.