Separating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities in Girls: A Familial Risk Analysis
Journal Title
American Journal of Psychiatry
Keywords
Readers/Advisors
Journal Title
Term and Year
Publication Date
2001-10
Book Title
Publication Volume
158
Publication Issue
10
Publication Begin
1666
Publication End
1672
Number of pages
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Objective: Familial risk analysis was used
to clarify the relationship in girls between
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) and learning disabilities in either
mathematics or reading.
Method: The authors assessed the presence of ADHD and learning disabilities in
679 first-degree relatives of three groups
of index children: girls with ADHD and a
comorbid learning disability, girls with
ADHD but no learning disabilities, and a
comparison group of girls without ADHD.
Results: The risk for ADHD was similarly
higher in families of ADHD probands with
and without learning disabilities; both
groups had significantly higher rates of
ADHD than did families of the comparison
girls. In contrast, only among relatives of
ADHD probands with a learning disability
was there a higher risk for learning disabilities. A strong (although statistically
nonsignificant) difference emerged that
suggested at least some degree of cosegregation of ADHD and learning disabilities in
family members. There was no evidence
of nonrandom mating between spouses
with ADHD and learning disabilities.
Conclusions: These results extend previously reported findings regarding the relationship of ADHD and learning disabilities to female subjects and raise the
possibility that, in girls, the relationship
between ADHD and learning disabilities is
due to shared familial risk factors.