Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: possibilities of early diagnostics

Rasa Barkauskienė, Asta Dervinytė Bongarzoni^{1, 2}, Rasa Bieliauskaitė, Roma Jusienė³, Saulė Raižienė⁴

Department of Clinical and Organizational Psychology, ¹Institute of Public Health, Vilnius University, Lithuania, ²University of Roma “La Sapienza”, Italy, ³Department of General Psychology, Vilnius University, ⁴Department of Psychology, Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania

Key words: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; preschool children; early diagnostics; multidimensional statistical approach.

Summary. The present study aimed at analyzing the possibilities of early diagnostics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in toddlers and preschool children. Parents and caregivers from children day care centers provided information about 863 children (mean age, 47.18 months; 410 girls and 453 boys). The methods used in the study were as follows: Child Behavior Checklist/1½-5 (CBCL), Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF), and clinical questionnaire for evaluation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. The study consisted of two stages: 1) screening of the emotional and behavioral problems of children based on parental and caregiver-teachers’ reports; 2) clinical interview with parents of children at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as measured by empirical ratings of attention hyperactivity symptoms. Results revealed that according to parental ratings, attention and hyperactivity problems are related to children’s age. According to caregiver-teachers’ ratings, boys were rated as having more problems of attention and hyperactivity than girls. Based on the results from the first stage, children at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were analyzed further. Case study analysis showed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in these children to be a part of overall pattern characterized by behavioral, emotional, and other problems. The quantitative as well as qualitative analysis provides the evidence for a high comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood. Study showed that comprehensive clinical assessment is necessary for early diagnostics of ADHD.

Correspondence to R. Barkauskienė, Department of Clinical and Organizational Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto 9/1, 01513 Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: rasa.barkauskiene@fsf.vu.lt

Received 22 December 2007, accepted 5 October 2009