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Frisira E, Holland J, Sayal K. Systematic review and meta-analysis: relative age in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:10.1007/s00787-024-02459-x. [PMID: 38767699 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02459-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Youngest students in their class, with birthdates just before the school entry cut-off date, are overrepresented among children receiving an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis or medication for this. This is known as the relative age effect. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises the evidence on the influence of relative age on ADHD symptoms, diagnosis and medication prescribing. As no review to date has investigated the association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, this is also examined. Following prospective registration with PROSPERO, we conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines. We searched seven databases: Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Cochrane Library. Additional references were identified from manual search of retrieved reviews. We performed a meta-analysis of quantitative data. Thirty-two studies were included, thirty-one investigated ADHD and two ASD. Younger relative age was associated with ADHD diagnosis and medication, with relative risks of 1.38 (1.36-1.52 95% CI) and 1.28 (1.21-1.36 95% CI) respectively. However, risk estimates exhibited high heterogeneity. A relative age effect was observed for teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms but not for parent ratings. With regard to ASD, the youngest children in their school year were more likely to be diagnosed with ASD. This review confirms a relative age effect for ADHD diagnosis and prescribed ADHD medication and suggests that differences in teacher and parent ratings might contribute to this. Further research is needed on the possible association with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Frisira
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK
| | - Josephine Holland
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK.
| | - Kapil Sayal
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK
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Rose SE, Barlow CM. The impact of relative age effects on psychosocial development: A systematic review. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 94:248-281. [PMID: 37592447 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Within the same school class, it is usual to find children who differ in age by almost a full calendar year. Although associations between being relatively young and poor academic outcomes are well documented, and relatively consistent, the associations between being relatively young and psychosocial outcomes are less clearly documented. AIMS To review research which presents data relating to associations between a child's relative age and their psychosocial development. METHODS A systematic review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS Fifty-nine papers met the inclusion criteria. The outcomes of the narrative synthesis and three meta-analyses found consistent, but very small, associations with relative age indicating that those who are relatively young are more likely to have more negative behaviour, mental well-being, and social experiences. CONCLUSIONS Although being relatively young is associated with more negative psychosocial outcomes, the magnitude of these associations is consistently small. Furthermore, many of the outcome measures used are likely to be the result of multiple influences, not limited to the effects of relative age. Therefore, the findings are reassuring as they suggest that relative age itself is unlikely to substantially increase an individual's risk of poor psychosocial development.
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Gosling CJ, Caparos S, Pinabiaux C, Schwarzer G, Rücker G, Agha SS, Alrouh H, Ambler A, Anderson P, Andiarena A, Arnold LE, Arseneault L, Asherson P, Babinski L, Barbati V, Barkley R, Barros AJD, Barros F, Bates JE, Bell LJ, Berenguer C, van Bergen E, Biederman J, Birmaher B, B⊘e T, Boomsma DI, Brandt VC, Bressan RA, Brocki K, Broughton TR, Bufferd SJ, Bussing R, Cao M, Cartigny A, Casas AM, Caspi A, Castellanos FX, Caye A, Cederkvist L, Collishaw S, Copeland WE, Cote SM, Coventry WL, Debes NMM, Denyer H, Dodge KA, Dogru H, Efron D, Eller J, Abd Elmaksoud M, Ercan ES, Faraone SV, Fenesy M, Fernández MF, Fernández-Somoano A, Findling R, Fombonne E, Fossum IN, Freire C, Friedman NP, Fristad MA, Galera C, Garcia-Argibay M, Garvan CS, González-Safont L, Groenman AP, Guxens M, Halperin JM, Hamadeh RR, Hartman CA, Hill SY, Hinshaw SP, Hipwell A, Hokkanen L, Holz N, Íñiguez C, Jahrami HA, Jansen PW, Jónsdóttir LK, Julvez J, Kaiser A, Keenan K, Klein DN, Klein RG, Kuntsi J, Langfus J, Langley K, Lansford JE, Larsen SA, Larsson H, Law E, Lee SS, Lertxundi N, Li X, Li Y, Lichtenstein P, Liu J, Lundervold AJ, Lundström S, Marks DJ, Martin J, Masi G, Matijasevich A, Melchior M, Moffitt TE, Monninger M, Morrison CL, Mulraney M, Muratori P, Nguyen PT, Nicholson JM, Øie MG, O'Neill S, O'Connor C, Orri M, Pan PM, Pascoe L, Pettit GS, Price J, Rebagliato M, Riaño-Galán I, Rohde LA, Roisman GI, Rosa M, Rosenbaum JF, Salum GA, Sammallahti S, Santos IS, Schiavone NS, Schmid L, Sciberras E, Shaw P, Silk TJ, Simpson JA, Skogli EW, Stepp S, Strandberg-Larsen K, Sudre G, Sunyer J, Tandon M, Thapar A, Thomson P, Thorell LB, Tinchant H, Torrent M, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Tripp G, Ukoumunne O, Van Goozen SHM, Vos M, Wallez S, Wang Y, Westermaier FG, Whalen DJ, Yoncheva Y, Youngstrom EA, Sayal K, Solmi M, Delorme R, Cortese S. Association between relative age at school and persistence of ADHD in prospective studies: an individual participant data meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:922-933. [PMID: 37898142 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00272-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The youngest children in a school class are more likely than the oldest to be diagnosed with ADHD, but this relative age effect is less frequent in older than in younger school-grade children. However, no study has explored the association between relative age and the persistence of ADHD diagnosis at older ages. We aimed to quantify the association between relative age and persistence of ADHD at older ages. METHODS For this meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubPsych up to April 1, 2022, with terms related to "cohort" and "ADHD" with no date, publication type, or language restrictions. We gathered individual participant data from prospective cohorts that included at least ten children identified with ADHD before age 10 years. ADHD was defined by either a clinical diagnosis or symptoms exceeding clinical cutoffs. Relative age was recorded as the month of birth in relation to the school-entry cutoff date. Study authors were invited to share raw data or to apply a script to analyse data locally and generate anonymised results. Our outcome was ADHD status at a diagnostic reassessment, conducted at least 4 years after the initial assessment and after age 10 years. No information on sex, gender, or ethnicity was collected. We did a two-stage random-effects individual participant data meta-analysis to assess the association of relative age with persistence of ADHD at follow-up. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020212650. FINDINGS Of 33 119 studies generated by our search, we identified 130 eligible unique studies and were able to gather individual participant data from 57 prospective studies following up 6504 children with ADHD. After exclusion of 16 studies in regions with a flexible school entry system that did not allow confident linkage of birthdate to relative age, the primary analysis included 41 studies in 15 countries following up 4708 children for a period of 4 to 33 years. We found that younger relative age was not statistically significantly associated with ADHD persistence at follow-up (odds ratio 1·02, 95% CI 0·99-1·06; p=0·19). We observed statistically significant heterogeneity in our model (Q=75·82, p=0·0011, I2=45%). Participant-level sensitivity analyses showed similar results in cohorts with a robust relative age effect at baseline and when restricting to cohorts involving children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD or with a follow-up duration of more than 10 years. INTERPRETATION The diagnosis of ADHD in younger children in a class is no more likely to be disconfirmed over time than that of older children in the class. One interpretation is that the relative age effect decreases the likelihood of children of older relative age receiving a diagnosis of ADHD, and another is that assigning a diagnostic label of ADHD leads to unexplored carryover effects of the initial diagnosis that persist over time. Future studies should be conducted to explore these interpretations further. FUNDING None.
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Uddin M, Nursetyo AA, Iqbal U, Nguyen PA, Jian WS, Li YC, Syed-Abdul S. Assessment of effects of moon phases on hospital outpatient visits: An observational national study. AIMS Public Health 2023; 10:324-332. [PMID: 37304591 PMCID: PMC10251051 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2023024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives A vast amount of literature has been conducted for investigating the association of different lunar phases with human health; and it has mixed reviews for association and non-association of diseases with lunar phases. This study investigates the existence of any impact of moon phases on humans by exploring the difference in the rate of outpatient visits and type of diseases that prevail in either non-moon or moon phases. Methods We retrieved dates of non-moon and moon phases for eight years (1st January 2001-31st December 2008) from the timeanddate.com website for Taiwan. The study cohort consisted of 1 million people from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) followed over eight years (1st January 2001-31st December 2008). We used the two-tailed, paired-t-test to compare the significance of difference among outpatient visits for 1229 moon phase days and 1074 non-moon phase days by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes from NHIRD records. Results We found 58 diseases that showed statistical differences in number of outpatient visits in the non-moon and moon phases. Conclusions The results of our study identified diseases that have significant variations during different lunar phases (non-moon and moon phases) for outpatient visits in the hospital. In order to fully understand the reality of the pervasive myth of lunar effects on human health, behaviors and diseases, more in-depth research investigations are required for providing comprehensive evidence covering all the factors, such as biological, psychological and environmental aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohy Uddin
- Research Quality Management Section, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Usman Iqbal
- Health ICT, Department of Health, Tasmania, Australia
- Global Health and Health Security Department, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- International Center for Health Information Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Phung-Anh Nguyen
- Clinical Data Center, Office of Data Science, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center of Health Care Industry Data Science, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Shan Jian
- School of Hospital Health care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan. No 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chuan Li
- International Center for Health Information Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan. No 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Shabbir Syed-Abdul
- International Center for Health Information Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan. No 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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Bachmann CS, Risnes K, Bjørngaard JH, Schei J, Pape K. Relative Age and Psychotropic Drug Use in Preterm and Term-Born Children and Young Adults. Pediatrics 2022; 150:190066. [PMID: 36382384 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-057085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Being among the youngest within a school class is linked to disadvantages in various educational and mental health domains. This study aimed to investigate whether preterm born infants are particularly vulnerable to relative age effects on mental health, not previously studied. METHODS We used registry data on all Norwegians born between 1989 and 1998 to compare prescription status for psychostimulants, antidepressants, hypnotics, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics per year from age 10 to 23 years (2004-2016) between exposure groups with different time of birth in the year (relative age) and different gestational age (preterm versus term). RESULTS Of 488 470 individuals, 29 657 (6,1%) were born preterm. For term born in November/December, the adjusted odds ratio (aORs) for psychostimulant prescription compared with peers born in January/February was 1.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-1.91) at ages 10 to 14 years, and 1.17 (95% CI, 1.08-1.27) at ages 20 to 23 years. Within preterm born, the corresponding results were 1.39 (95% CI, 1.13-1.69) and 1.34 (95% CI, 1,00-1.78) at ages 10 through 14 and 20 through 23 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Being relatively young within the school group was associated with increased psychostimulant prescription in the preterm as well as the term population. In contrast to term peers, the relative age effect for psychostimulant prescription seemed to persist to young adulthood for the preterm population. The results suggest that preterm individuals are vulnerable to long-term effects of relative immaturity and that they require careful consideration from both health care professionals and the school system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Strand Bachmann
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Children's Clinic, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kari Risnes
- Children's Clinic, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Johan Håkon Bjørngaard
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Levanger, Norway
| | - Jorun Schei
- Department of Mental Health, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Children and Youth, Division of Mental Healthcare, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristine Pape
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Chen MH, Huang KL, Hsu JW, Tsai SJ, Su TP, Chen TJ, Bai YM. Effect of relative age on diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in children: a nationwide study in Taiwan. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:1565-1571. [PMID: 33963954 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01791-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The annual cut-off birthdate for entry into school in Taiwan is August 31. Thus, children and adolescents born in August are typically the youngest in their grades. The potential effect of relative age on the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains uncertain. METHODS A total of 9,548,393 individuals aged 3-17 years during the study period (from September 1, 2001, to August 31, 2011) identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were enrolled into our study. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the likelihood of receiving ASD diagnosis for those who were born in August (the youngest) compared with those who were born in September (the oldest). RESULTS Both boys and girls born in August had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with ASD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.32; OR: 1.23, 95% CI 1.06-1.42) than did those born in September. Sensitivity analysis conducted over different periods revealed consistent findings. DISCUSSION Relative age, as an indicator of neurocognitive maturity, is a crucial contributor to the risk of being diagnosed with ASD among children and adolescents. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the age of a child within a grade when diagnosing ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Hong Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan. .,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
| | - Kai-Lin Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Wei Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Ping Su
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, General Cheng Hsin Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzeng-Ji Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Mei Bai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan. .,Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
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Bruno C, Havard A, Hanly M, Falster K, Nassar N, Edwards B, Guastella AJ, Pearson SA, Zoega H. Children's Relative Age and Medicine Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Across Australian Jurisdictions with Different School Enrolment Policies. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2022; 32:349-357. [PMID: 35917527 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2022.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Background: Children who are relatively young for their school grade are more likely to receive treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is unclear whether the phenomenon also exists across Australia or is impacted by the school enrolment policy in place. Objective: We evaluated the association between children's relative age and initiation of ADHD medicines across Australian jurisdictions with different school enrolment policies and rates of delayed school entry. Methods: We used Australia-wide dispensing data for a 15% random sample of children 4-9 years of age in 2013-2017 to create a nationwide cohort. Due to high rates of delayed school entry in New South Wales (NSW), we used linked prescribing and education data for a cohort of NSW residents starting school in 2009 and 2012. We estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for ADHD medicine across children's birth month, sex, and jurisdiction. We used asthma medicines as a negative control. Results: For girls, we observed a relative age effect in three out of five jurisdictions, with an IRR ranging from 1.3 to 2.8, comparing the youngest versus oldest birth month thirds. We observed more modest effects among boys, ranging from null to 1.5-fold. In NSW, the relatively youngest boys were less likely to initiate stimulant medicines than the oldest (IRR = 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.78). We did not observe a relative age effect for initiation of asthma medicines. Conclusions: In jurisdictions with low rates of delayed entry, relatively young children were more likely to initiate ADHD medicines than their older classmates. We observed the inverse association in NSW where delayed entry was highest, likely reflecting the characteristics and needs of children who delay school entry for 1 year and become the oldest children in the grade. Increased awareness around children's maturity differences and school readiness may enhance appropriate diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bruno
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alys Havard
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Hanly
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kathleen Falster
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Natasha Nassar
- Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ben Edwards
- Centre for Social Research and Methods, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sallie-Anne Pearson
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Helga Zoega
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Relative Age Effect in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at Various Stages of the Medicalization Process. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9060889. [PMID: 35740826 PMCID: PMC9221667 DOI: 10.3390/children9060889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of ADHD are more common among the youngest children in a classroom, born in the months immediately preceding the school entry cutoff date. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon, called the relative age effect (RAE), are not yet well understood. Nearly all hypotheses involve the school system, various teachers’ actions, and concern children’s immaturity. However, most previous studies have been based on reports of health professionals’ diagnoses and prescriptions found in official databases rather than on reports of teachers’ behavior identification or suspicion of ADHD, despite their being at the first stages of the medicalization process. Our study overcomes this limitation by using reports of parents’ and teachers’ behavior identification or suspicion of ADHD within a three-level multilevel survey design, comprising 1294 children, 130 teachers, and 17 elementary public schools. The goal of our study was to investigate whether RAE stems (1) from adults’ judgement of the child’s expression of immaturity or (2) from the consequences associated with the child’s double burden of being immature and exhibiting ADHD behaviors. Our multilevel analyses put forward the first hypothesis only, supporting the medicalization of immaturity. RAE in ADHD seems mostly initiated by teachers’ pre-diagnostic actions toward younger children.
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Kuntsi J, Larsson H, Deng Q, Lichtenstein P, Chang Z. The Combined Effects of Young Relative Age and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Negative Long-term Outcomes. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 61:291-297. [PMID: 34389201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Young relative age (ie, being among the youngest in a school class) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are both potential risk factors for adverse long-term outcomes. Young relative age also increases the risk of ADHD diagnosis. Using data from Swedish national registers, we investigate the independent and joint long-term effects of young relative age and ADHD on educational achievement, substance use disorder (SUD), criminality, and depression. METHOD We identified a national cohort of individuals with young relative age (born November-December) and a comparison group with old relative age (born January-February). Of the total sample of 297,840 individuals, 6,528 individuals had a diagnosis of ADHD in childhood. The 4 outcomes were measured at ages 15 to 23 years. We examined main, additive, and interactive effects of young relative age and ADHD on long-term outcomes. RESULTS In the individuals without ADHD, young relative age was associated with increased risk of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.14 [95% CI =1.09-1.20]), SUD (OR = 1.14 [1.09-1.20]), and low educational achievement (OR = 1.17 [1.14-1.20]), but not criminality (OR = 1.00 [0.98-1.03]). In the individuals with ADHD, young relative age was associated with increased risk of SUD (OR = 1.23 [1.01-1.50]) and low educational achievement (OR = 1.12 [1.00-0.26]; CI included 1), but not depression or criminality (OR = 0.88 [0.73-1.07] and OR = 0.89 [0.79-1.01], respectively). An interaction emerged between young relative age and ADHD for depression (OR = 0.78 [0.64-0.95]). CONCLUSION We observed relative age effects that add to the evidence supporting a more flexible approach to school starting age and that emphasize the importance of careful age-match comparisons during assessment of childhood ADHD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Kuntsi
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Örebro University, Sweden
| | - Qigang Deng
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
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Vuori M, Sourander A, Aronen ET, Kronström K, Saastamoinen LK. Relative Age and the Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics from 7 to 17 Years of Age: A Population-Based Register Study. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2022; 32:45-51. [PMID: 34619034 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2021.0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The youngest children in a classroom have a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHDs) and depression than their relatively older peers. However, there has been a lack of research on how relative age is related to second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication use. Methods: This study used the Finnish National Prescription Register data and comprised all 669,726 Finnish children and adolescents aged 7-17 in 2018. We extracted data for those who were dispensed SGAs (risperidone, quetiapine, aripiprazole, and olanzapine) and ADHD medication (methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine, and lisdexamfetamine). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for medication dispensed to schoolchildren born from January to April (the relatively oldest), May to August, and September to December (the relatively youngest). Dispensed prescriptions were a proxy for medication use. Results: SGAs were dispensed to 9146 (1.4%) individuals in 2018. Their use was lower among girls aged 12-17 years born from September to December than January to April (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.83-0.97), with no association between SGA use and birth month among boys. However, younger relative age was associated with combined SGA and ADHD medication, which was used by 2556 (0.4%) of the cohort: 2074 (0.6%) boys and 482 (0.1%) girls. The OR was 1.27 for boys aged 12-17 born from September to December (95% CI 1.10-1.46), compared with January to April. The OR for girls born from May to August was 1.35 (95% CI 1.04-1.76) and from September to December it was 1.33 (95% CI 1.02-1.74), compared with January to April. Conclusions: A novel discovery of this study was that using both SGA and ADHD medication at the age of 12-17 years was more common among the youngest subjects in a school year than their relatively older peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miika Vuori
- Department of Teacher Education, Turku Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Andre Sourander
- Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Invest Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Eeva T Aronen
- Child Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Laboratory of Developmental Psychopathology, Pediatric Research Center, New Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kim Kronström
- Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Hospital District of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland
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11
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Landgren V, Svensson L, Knez R, Theodosiou M, Gillberg C, Fernell E, Landgren M, Johnson M. The ESSENCE-Questionnaire for Neurodevelopmental Problems - A Swedish School-Based Validation Study in 11-Year-Old Children. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:2055-2067. [PMID: 36133028 PMCID: PMC9484576 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s374930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of parent-rated developmental concern using the ESSENCE-Q (Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire, 12-items, score range 0-24) and to ascertain the predictive validity and optimal cutoff level of the instrument in a school-based sample of 11-year-old children. METHODS In a cross-sectional, school-based study, participants underwent a clinical assessment by a physician and a psychologist, teachers and parents completed the SDQ (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire), medical health records and national tests were reviewed, and parents independently completed the ESSENCE-Q. In a case-conference outcomes were defined as a) the need for further clinical work-up due to suspected neurodevelopmental problems (NDPs) and b) degree of investigator-rated symptoms/impairment from NDPs on the CGI-S (Clinical Global Impression-Severity instrument, range 1-7, 4-7 defined as clinically symptomatic). Classification and optimal cutoffs of the ESSENCE-Q were determined using ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis. RESULTS Out of 343 eligible children, 223 enrolled, of whom 173 (50% of all eligible) had a parent-rated ESSENCE-Q. At least one of the 12 possible concerns was reported by parents of 36% of participants. Overall, in 101 (57%) participants a work-up was warranted, and 64 (37%) were clinically symptomatic from NDPs. The AUC of the ESSENCE-Q in detecting need for work-up was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63-0.77), and the AUC in detecting clinically symptomatic participants was 0.82 (95% CI 0.76-0.88). ESSENCE-Q ratings correlated positively with CGI-S scores (r=0.48, p<0.05). A cutoff of ≥3 had the highest accuracy (78%) with a negative predictive value of 82%. Ratings >6 conferred few false positives cases with positive likelihood ratios >10 and positive predictive values of 86% or more. SIGNIFICANCE This study of the ESSENCE-Q in 11-year-old children suggests it might be an acceptable instrument for screening of NDPs in children in middle school, optimally in conjunction with other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valdemar Landgren
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Leif Svensson
- Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, Mariestad, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Rajna Knez
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, Mariestad, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Michail Theodosiou
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Fernell
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Magnus Landgren
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mats Johnson
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
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12
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Diefenbach C, Schmidt MF, Huss M, König J, Urschitz MS. Age at school entry and reported symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity in first graders: results of the prospective cohort study ikidS. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:1753-1764. [PMID: 34089381 PMCID: PMC9666310 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Young age at school entry (ASE) is related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in higher grades. The reason for this association is unclear, but medical oversupply and stress-related factors are discussed. We aimed to investigate whether ASE is associated with reported symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADH) already in first grade. Data of a population-based prospective cohort study (N = 2003; Mainz-Bingen region; Rhineland-Palatinate; Germany) with baseline assessments prior to school entry and two follow-ups during first grade were analysed. ADH symptoms were assessed by parent and teacher versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations between ASE and scores of the hyperactivity/inattention subscale (range 0-10) were investigated by regression analysis and adjusted for potential confounders and baseline symptoms prior to school entry. In total, 1633 children (52% boys, mean ASE 6.5 years) were included. There were no relationships between ASE and parent-reported scores of the hyperactivity/inattention subscale prior to school entry and 3 months thereafter. However, at the end of first grade, ASE was negatively associated with the hyperactivity/inattention subscale in parent (- 0.7 subscale points per year ASE, standard error = 0.16, p < 0.0001) and teacher reports (- 1.2 subscale points per year ASE, standard error = 0.25, p < 0.0001). This ASE effect appeared more pronounced in girls than in boys. Young ASE is related to more reported symptoms of ADH at the end of first grade, but not before. The evolvement of this effect during first grade may be a clue to ASE-related stress factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Diefenbach
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 69, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Martina F Schmidt
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 69, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Huss
- Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jochem König
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 69, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael S Urschitz
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 69, 55131, Mainz, Germany
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13
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Staff AI, Oosterlaan J, van der Oord S, Hoekstra PJ, Vertessen K, de Vries R, van den Hoofdakker BJ, Luman M. The Validity of Teacher Rating Scales for the Assessment of ADHD Symptoms in the Classroom: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:1578-1593. [PMID: 32390490 PMCID: PMC8369909 DOI: 10.1177/1087054720916839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To assess attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the classroom, most often teacher rating scales are used. However, clinical interviews and observations are recommended as gold standard assessment. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the validity of teacher rating scales. Method: Twenty-two studies (N = 3,947 children) assessing ADHD symptoms using teacher rating scale and either semi-structured clinical interview or structured classroom observation were meta-analyzed. Results: Results showed convergent validity for rating scale scores, with the strongest correlations (r = .55-.64) for validation against interviews, and for hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Divergent validity was confirmed for teacher ratings validated against interviews, whereas validated against observations this was confirmed for inattention only. Conclusion: Teacher rating scales appear a valid and time-efficient measure to assess classroom ADHD; although validated against semi-structured clinical interviews, there were only a few studies available. Low correlations between ratings and structured observations of inattention suggest that observations could add information above rating scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouck I. Staff
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Anouck I. Staff, Section Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Jaap Oosterlaan
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Ralph de Vries
- Amsterdam UMC, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Hsu C, Tseng P, Tu Y, Lin P, Hung C, Liang C, Hsieh Y, Yang Y, Wang L, Kao H. Month of birth and mental disorders: A population-based study and validation using global meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2021; 144:153-167. [PMID: 33930177 PMCID: PMC8360113 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Month of birth (MOB) is associated with specified mental disorders (MDs). However, whether these relationships extend to all MDs remains unclear. We investigate the association using a population-based cohort study and a meta-analysis. METHODS First, we examined patients with 34 DSM-5-classified MDs in the Taiwan national database. We estimated the relative risk ratios (RR) of each illness in each MOB relative to that in the general population and assessed the periodicity, with six further sensitivity analyses. Second, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for related articles through 31 December 2020. We used a random-effects model, pooled RRs with 95% confidence intervals of each MOB from the identified studies, and transformed them from MOB to relative age in a year or season. RESULTS The cohort included 1,951,777 patients. Except for posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, feeding/eating disorders, gender dysphoria, and paraphilic disorders, the other MDs had significant MOB periodicity. The meta-analysis included 51 studies investigating 10 MDs. The youngest age at the start of school owing to MOB was associated with the highest RRs of intellectual disability (1.13), autism (1.05), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (1.13). Winter births had significant risks of schizophrenia (1.04), bipolar I disorder (1.02), and major depressive disorder (1.01), and autumn births had a significant risk of alcohol use disorder (1.02). No significant associations between season of birth and Alzheimer's disease, or eating disorders were found. CONCLUSIONS MOB is related to the risks of certain MDs. This finding provides a reference for future research on the etiology of MDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih‐Wei Hsu
- Department of PsychiatryKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan,Department of Computer Science and Information EngineeringNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
| | - Ping‐Tao Tseng
- Prospect Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology & NeurologyKaohsiungTaiwan,Institute of Biomedical SciencesNational Sun Yat‐sen UniversityKaohsiungTaiwan,Department of PsychologyCollege of Medical and Health Science, Asia UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Yu‐Kang Tu
- Institute of Epidemiology & Preventive MedicineCollege of Public HealthNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Pao‐Yen Lin
- Department of PsychiatryKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan,Institute for Translational Research in Biomedical SciencesKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial HospitalKaohsiungChina
| | - Chi‐Fa Hung
- Department of PsychiatryKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan
| | - Chih‐Sung Liang
- Department of Psychiatry, Beitou BranchTri‐Service General HospitalSchool of MedicineNational Defense Medical CenterTaipeiTaiwan,Graduate Institute of Medical SciencesNational Defense Medical CenterTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yun‐Yu Hsieh
- Department of PsychiatryKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan
| | - Yao‐Hsu Yang
- Health Information and Epidemiology LaboratoryChang Gung Memorial HospitalChiayi CountyTaiwan,Department of Traditional Chinese MedicineChang Gung Memorial HospitalChiayi CountyTaiwan,School of Traditional Chinese MedicineCollege of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
| | - Liang‐Jen Wang
- Department of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan,Department of Chinese MedicineCollege of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
| | - Hung‐Yu Kao
- Department of Computer Science and Information EngineeringNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
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15
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Kuntsi J. Referral bias for specific learning disorders? The wide‐ranging challenges for the youngest in class – Commentary on Arrhenius et al. (2021). JCPP ADVANCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jcv2.12013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Kuntsi
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience King's College London London UK
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16
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Kazda L, Bell K, Thomas R, McGeechan K, Sims R, Barratt A. Overdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Scoping Review. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e215335. [PMID: 33843998 PMCID: PMC8042533 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Reported increases in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are accompanied by growing debate about the underlying factors. Although overdiagnosis is often suggested, no comprehensive evaluation of evidence for or against overdiagnosis has ever been undertaken and is urgently needed to enable evidence-based, patient-centered diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in contemporary health services. OBJECTIVE To systematically identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence on overdiagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents using a published 5-question framework for detecting overdiagnosis in noncancer conditions. EVIDENCE REVIEW This systematic scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews and Joanna Briggs Methodology, including the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies published in English between January 1, 1979, and August 21, 2020. Studies of children and adolescents (aged ≤18 years) with ADHD that focused on overdiagnosis plus studies that could be mapped to 1 or more framework question were included. Two researchers independently reviewed all abstracts and full-text articles, and all included studies were assessed for quality. FINDINGS Of the 12 267 potentially relevant studies retrieved, 334 (2.7%) were included. Of the 334 studies, 61 (18.3%) were secondary and 273 (81.7%) were primary research articles. Substantial evidence of a reservoir of ADHD was found in 104 studies, providing a potential for diagnoses to increase (question 1). Evidence that actual ADHD diagnosis had increased was found in 45 studies (question 2). Twenty-five studies showed that these additional cases may be on the milder end of the ADHD spectrum (question 3), and 83 studies showed that pharmacological treatment of ADHD was increasing (question 4). A total of 151 studies reported on outcomes of diagnosis and pharmacological treatment (question 5). However, only 5 studies evaluated the critical issue of benefits and harms among the additional, milder cases. These studies supported a hypothesis of diminishing returns in which the harms may outweigh the benefits for youths with milder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This review found evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents. Evidence gaps remain and future research is needed, in particular research on the long-term benefits and harms of diagnosing and treating ADHD in youths with milder symptoms; therefore, practitioners should be mindful of these knowledge gaps, especially when identifying these individuals and to ensure safe and equitable practice and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Kazda
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katy Bell
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rae Thomas
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin McGeechan
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Sims
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexandra Barratt
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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17
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Vuori M, Martikainen JE, Koski-Pirilä A, Sourander A, Puustjärvi A, Aronen ET, Chudal R, Saastamoinen LK. Children's Relative Age and ADHD Medication Use: A Finnish Population-Based Study. Pediatrics 2020; 146:peds.2019-4046. [PMID: 32958613 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-4046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The youngest children in a classroom are at increased risk of being medicated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We examined the association between children's birth month and ADHD medication rates in Finland. METHODS Using a population-based study, we analyzed ADHD medication use among children born in 2005 to 2007. Cases (n = 7054) were identified from the first purchase of medication for ADHD. Cox proportional hazard models and hazard ratios (HRs) were examined by birth month and sex. Finnish children start first grade in the year of their seventh birthday. The cutoff date is December 31. RESULTS Risk of ADHD medication use increased throughout the year by birth month (ie, January through April to May through August to September through December). Among boys born in September to December, the association remained stable across cohorts (HR: 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.5). Among girls born in September to December, the HR in the 2005 cohort was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1-1.8), whereas in the 2007 cohort it was 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3-2.2). In a restricted follow-up, which ended at the end of the year of the children's eighth birthday, the HRs for boys and girls born in September to December 2007 were 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3-1.7) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.5-2.8), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Relative immaturity increases the likelihood of ADHD medication use in Finland. The association was more pronounced during the first school years. Increased awareness of this association is needed among clinicians and teachers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miika Vuori
- Department of Teacher Education, Turku Institute of Advanced Studies,
| | | | - Anna Koski-Pirilä
- Statistical Information Service, The Social Insurance Institution (Kela), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andre Sourander
- Department of Child Psychiatry, and.,Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Invest Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Eeva T Aronen
- Department of Child Psychiatry and.,Laboratory of Developmental Psychopathology, Pediatric Research Center, Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Roshan Chudal
- Department of Child Psychiatry, and.,Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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18
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Caye A, Petresco S, de Barros AJD, Bressan RA, Gadelha A, Gonçalves H, Manfro AG, Matijasevich A, Menezes AMB, Miguel EC, Munhoz TN, Pan PM, Salum GA, Santos IS, Kieling C, Rohde LA. Relative Age and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Data From Three Epidemiological Cohorts and a Meta-analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:990-997. [PMID: 31442562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of relatively younger age on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and diagnosis through three population-based cohorts and a meta-analysis. METHOD This study included participants of three community-based cohorts in Brazil: 1993 Pelotas Cohort (N = 5,249), 2004 Pelotas Cohort (N = 4,231), and Brazilian High-Risk Study for Psychiatric Disorders (HRC study) (N = 2,511). We analyzed the effect of relatively younger age on ADHD symptoms and diagnosis. For the meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science from inception through December 25, 2018. We selected studies that reported measures of association between relative immaturity and an ADHD diagnosis. We followed the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. The protocol for meta-analysis is available on PROSPERO (CRD42018099966). RESULTS In the meta-analysis, we identified 1,799 potentially eligible records, from which 25 studies including 8,076,570 subjects (164,049 ADHD cases) were analyzed with their effect estimates. The summarized relative risk of an ADHD diagnosis was 1.34 (95% CI, 1.26-1.43, p < .001) for children born in the first 4 months of the school year (relatively younger). Heterogeneity was high (I2 = 96.7%). Relative younger age was associated with higher levels of ADHD symptoms in the 1993 Pelotas Cohort (p = .003), 2004 Pelotas Cohort (p = .046), and HRC study (p = .010). CONCLUSION Children and adolescents who are relatively younger compared with their classmates have a higher risk of receiving an ADHD diagnosis. Clinicians should consider the developmental level of young children when evaluating ADHD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Caye
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sandra Petresco
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo A Bressan
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ary Gadelha
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Helen Gonçalves
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Arthur Gus Manfro
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alícia Matijasevich
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Faculty of Medicine FMUSP, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Euripides C Miguel
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro M Pan
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovanni A Salum
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iná S Santos
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Christian Kieling
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luis Augusto Rohde
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD), São Paulo, Brazil.
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19
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Rezaei Kalantary R, Jaffarzadeh N, Rezapour M, Hesami Arani M. Association between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:11531-11540. [PMID: 32124297 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08134-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Some studies have shown that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a dangerous factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify this relationship, and to collect and analyze all the relevant evidences in published reports of epidemiologic studies. PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched through September 31, 2018. The study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Moreover, fixed- and random-effect models were used. The data in this meta-analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR). From 959 articles, six articles were included in the systematic review, and for meta-analysis, one study (that was not AOR) was excluded. The participants included in the studies were 2799 with the age range of 5-15 years old, and 93.6% were living in America. Four of the studies were placed in one group, due to having a common author (Perera). Moreover, a significant association was found between PAH exposure and ADHD in these studies (odds ratio = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.75-3.78); however, in all studies, there was no significant association between PAH exposure and ADHD for children (overall odds ratio = 1.99, 95% CI = 0.96-4.11) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 28.73%; P value < 0.001). This study provided a systematic review and meta-analytic evidence for the association between PAH exposure and ADHD by a small number of studies. Further research study can be conducted in various countries. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshanak Rezaei Kalantary
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Maysam Rezapour
- School of Nursing and Midwifery Amol, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohsen Hesami Arani
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Schnorrbusch C, Fabiano GA, Aloe AM, Toro Rodriguez RC. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Relative Age: A Meta-Analysis. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/2372966x.2020.1717368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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21
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What Differentiates Children with ADHD Symptoms Who Do and Do Not Receive a Formal Diagnosis? Results from a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2020; 51:138-150. [PMID: 31385105 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-019-00917-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
ADHD diagnoses are increasing worldwide, in patterns involving both overdiagnosis of some groups and underdiagnosis of others. The current study uses data from a national longitudinal study of Irish children (N = 8568) to examine the sociodemographic, clinical and psychological variables that differentiate children with high hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, who had and had not received a diagnosis of ADHD. Analysis identified no significant differences in the demographic characteristics or socio-emotional wellbeing of 9-year-olds with hyperactivity/inattention who had and who had not received a diagnosis of ADHD. However, by age 13, those who had held a diagnosis at 9 years showed more emotional and peer relationship problems, worse prosocial behaviour, and poorer self-concept. Further research is required to clarify the developmental pathways responsible for these effects.
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Öner Ö, Vatanartıran S, Karadeniz Ş. Grade effects on teacher ratings of
ADHD
symptoms among primary school students. Scand J Psychol 2019; 60:304-308. [DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Özgür Öner
- School of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Bahçeşehir University Beşiktaş/İstanbul Turkey
| | | | - Şirin Karadeniz
- School of Education Bahçeşehir University Beşiktaş/İstanbul Turkey
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Whitely M, Raven M, Timimi S, Jureidini J, Phillimore J, Leo J, Moncrieff J, Landman P. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder late birthdate effect common in both high and low prescribing international jurisdictions: a systematic review. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2019; 60:380-391. [PMID: 30317644 PMCID: PMC7379308 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple studies have found that the youngest children in a classroom are at elevated risk of being diagnosed with, or medicated for, ADHD. This systematic review was conducted to investigate whether this late birthdate effect is the norm and whether the strength of effect is related to the absolute risk of being diagnosed/medicated. METHODS A literature search of the PubMed and ERIC databases and snowball and grey literature searching were conducted. RESULTS A total of 19 studies in 13 countries covering over 15.4 million children investigating this relationship were identified. Three other studies exploring related topics were identified. The diversity of methodologies prevented a meta-analysis. Instead a systematic review of the 22 studies was conducted. A total of 17 of the 19 studies found that the youngest children in a school year were considerably more likely to be diagnosed and/or medicated than their older classmates. Two Danish studies found either a weak or no late birth date effect. There was no consistent relationship between per-capita diagnosis or medication rates and the strength of the relative age effect, with strong effects reported in most jurisdictions with comparatively low rates. CONCLUSIONS It is the norm internationally for the youngest children in a classroom to be at increased risk of being medicated for ADHD, even in jurisdictions with relatively low prescribing rates. A lack of a strong effect in Denmark may be accounted for by the common practice of academic 'redshirting', where children judged by parents as immature have a delayed school start. Redshirting may prevent and/or disguise late birthdate effects and further research is warranted. The evidence of strong late birthdate effects in jurisdictions with comparatively low diagnosis/medication rates challenges the notion that low rates indicate sound diagnostic practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Whitely
- John Curtin Institute of Public PolicyCurtin UniversityBentleyWAAustralia
| | - Melissa Raven
- Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Sami Timimi
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Horizon CentreLincolnUK
| | - Jon Jureidini
- Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - John Phillimore
- John Curtin Institute of Public PolicyCurtin UniversityBentleyWAAustralia
| | | | - Joanna Moncrieff
- Division of PsychiatryFaculty of Brain SciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Patrick Landman
- Centre de Recherche PsychanalyseMedecine et SociétéParisFrance
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas L Syn
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Evelyn Law
- National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
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25
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Relative age and ADHD symptoms, diagnosis and medication: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 28:1417-1429. [PMID: 30293121 PMCID: PMC6800871 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1229-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing international literature investigating the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and younger relative age within the school year, but results have been mixed. There are no published systematic reviews on this topic. This study aimed to systematically review the published studies on the relative age effect in ADHD. Systematic database searches of: Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ERIC, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection and The Cochrane Library were conducted. Studies were selected which investigated the relative age effect in ADHD in children and adolescents. Twenty papers were included in the review. Sixteen (of 20) papers reported a significantly higher proportion of relatively younger children being diagnosed with ADHD and/or receiving medication for this. Meta-analyses involving 17 of these 20 papers revealed a modest relative age effect in countries with higher prescribing rates, risk ratio = 1.27 (95% CI 1.19-1.35) for receipt of medication. The relative age effect is well demonstrated in countries with known higher prescribing rates. Amongst other countries, there is also increasing evidence for the relative age effect, however, there is high heterogeneity amongst studies. Further research is needed to understand the possible reasons under-pinning the relative age effect and to inform attempts to reduce it.
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26
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Sandgren AM, Brummer RJ. ADHD-originating in the gut? The emergence of a new explanatory model. Med Hypotheses 2018; 120:135-145. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Wienen AW, Batstra L, Thoutenhoofd E, de Jonge P, Bos EH. Teachers' perceptions of behavioral problems in Dutch primary education pupils: The role of relative age. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204718. [PMID: 30332456 PMCID: PMC6192569 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing number of studies suggest that relatively young behavior of pupils gives them a much greater likelihood of being diagnosed with a disorder such as ADHD. This 'relative age effect' has also been demonstrated for special educational needs, learning difficulties, being bullied, and so on. The current study investigated the relationship between relative age of pupils in primary education and teachers' perception of their behavior. The study sample included 1973 pupils, aged between 6 and 12. Six linear mixed models were carried out with birth day in a year as predictor variable and 'total problem score', 'problems with hyperactivity', 'behavioral problems', 'emotional problems', 'problems with peers' and 'pro-social behavior' as dependent variables. Random intercepts were added for school and teacher level. Cluster-mean centering disaggregated between-school effects and within-school effects. We found no associations between relative age of pupils and teacher perceptions of their behavior. Several explanations are postulated to account for these findings which contradict prior studies on relative age effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert W. Wienen
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Laura Batstra
- Department of Special Needs Education and Child Care, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ernst Thoutenhoofd
- Department of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter de Jonge
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth H. Bos
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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Wendt J, Schmidt MF, König J, Patzlaff R, Huss M, Urschitz MS. Young age at school entry and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-related symptoms during primary school: results of a prospective cohort study conducted at German Rudolf Steiner Schools. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020820. [PMID: 30309989 PMCID: PMC6252692 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Young age at school entry (ASE) for students has been related to their impaired mental health in higher grades. To avoid the negative health consequences of young ASE, preschool examinations and individual school entry deferral for young children are routinely performed by some school authorities. We aimed to investigate whether ASE was associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related symptoms in pupils attending schools using a selective school enrolment procedure. DESIGN Prospective open cohort study with baseline assessments at school entry and two follow-ups in the second and fourth grades. SETTING Up to 128 Rudolf Steiner Schools (Waldorf Schools) located within Germany. PARTICIPANTS Of the 3079 children from whom data were gathered in the second or fourth grade, 2671 children born between 1 July 2001 and 31 October 2002 (age at baseline: mean 6.7, min 5.91, max 7.24 years, 50% girls) were selected for analysis to avoid bias introduced by individuals at the edges of the ASE distribution. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ADHD-related symptoms were assessed at school entry and second and fourth grades by parent-reported and teacher-reported versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Hyperactivity-Inattention Subscale). RESULTS The agreement between parent-reported and teacher-reported symptoms was poor (intra-class correlation: 0.41 and 0.44 in second and fourth grade assessments, respectively). Regarding teacher reports, ASE was negatively associated with ADHD-related symptoms in the second grade (regression coefficient β=-0.66 per year, P=0.0006) and fourth grade (β=-0.56, P=0.0014). Associations remained after adjusting for potential confounders and pre-existing symptoms at baseline. Regarding parent reports, associations were markedly weaker in both grades (second grade: β=-0.22, P=0.12; fourth grade: β=-0.09, P=0.48). CONCLUSIONS Using a prospective study design and comprehensive adjustment for confounding and baseline symptoms, we confirmed prior evidence of the association between young ASE and teacher-reported ADHD symptoms in primary school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Wendt
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Martina F Schmidt
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jochem König
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Rainer Patzlaff
- Institute for Pedagogy, Sensory and Media Ecology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Michael Huss
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael S Urschitz
- Division of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
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Age level vs grade level for the diagnosis of ADHD and neurodevelopmental disorders. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 27:1171-1180. [PMID: 29876753 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1180-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A number of worldwide studies have demonstrated that children born later in the school year are more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis than their same school-year peers. There is, however, variation in findings between countries. We aimed to confirm whether relative age is associated with ADHD diagnosis, with or without comorbidities, and to investigate whether relative age is associated with ADHD type and severity, and if this age relationship is in common with other neurodevelopmental disorder. We used the Lombardy Region's ADHD registry. Data on children aged 6 years and older from September 1, 2011 to December 31, 2017 were considered. We calculated incidence ratios to assess the inter-relations between relative age within the school year, using age at diagnosis of ADHD or of other psychiatric disorder, year of diagnosis, and total number of children born in Lombardy during the corresponding timeframe. Data on ADHD type, severity of diagnosed disorder clinical global impressions-severity scale, and repetition of a school-grade were also considered. 4081 children, 2856 of whom with ADHD, were identified. We confirmed that the cumulative incidence of ADHD diagnosis was greatest for younger children, in particular for boys, for whom the prevalence is greater. The relative age effect was not accounted for by ADHD comorbid disorders, ADHD of combined type or severity. The relative age effect was also observed for children with other neurodevelopmental disorders (without ADHD), with a similar profile as ADHD children: the incidence ratio was 1.78 (95% CI 1.07-2.97; p < 0.0247) for boys diagnosed before age ten. The findings have a potential implication for diagnostic and therapeutic practice, educational advice, and policies, besides to better plan and organize service systems and appropriately inform parents, children, and citizens.
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Te Meerman S, Batstra L, Grietens H, Frances A. ADHD: a critical update for educational professionals. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2018; 12:1298267. [PMID: 28532329 PMCID: PMC5510202 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2017.1298267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A medical approach towards behavioural problems could make professionals without a medical background, like teachers and other educational professionals feel inapt. In this article, we raise six scientifically grounded considerations regarding ADHD, currently the most prevalent childhood psychiatric diagnosis. These "need to knows" show just how misguided and potentially stigmatizing current conceptualizations of unruly behaviour have become. Some examples are given of how teachers are misinformed, and alternative ways of reporting about neuropsychological research are suggested. A reinvigorated conceptual understanding of ADHD could help educational institutions to avoid the expensive outsourcing of behavioural problems that could also-and justifiably better-be framed as part of education's primary mission of professionalized socialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Te Meerman
- a Department of Special Needs Education and Child Care , University of Groningen , Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Laura Batstra
- a Department of Special Needs Education and Child Care , University of Groningen , Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Hans Grietens
- a Department of Special Needs Education and Child Care , University of Groningen , Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Allen Frances
- b Department of Psychiatry , School of Medicine, Duke University , NC , USA
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Relative age within the school year and diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide population-based study. Lancet Psychiatry 2017; 4:868-875. [PMID: 29033006 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(17)30394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Findings are mixed on the relationship between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and younger relative age in the school year. We aimed to investigate whether relative age is associated with ADHD diagnosis in a country where prescribing rates are low and whether any such association has changed over time or relates to comorbid disorders (eg, conduct disorder [CD], oppositional defiant disorder [ODD], or learning disorder [LD]). METHODS We used nationwide population-based registers to identify all Finnish children born between Jan 1, 1991, and Dec 31, 2004, who were diagnosed with ADHD from age 7 years onwards (age of starting school). We calculated incidence ratios to assess the inter-relations between relative age within the school year, age at ADHD diagnosis, and year of diagnosis (1998-2003 vs 2004-11). FINDINGS Between Jan 1, 1998, and Dec 31, 2011, 6136 children with ADHD were identified. Compared with the oldest children in the school year (ie, those born between January and April), the cumulative incidence of an ADHD diagnosis was greatest for the youngest children (ie, those born between September and December); for boys the incidence ratio was 1·26 (95% CI 1·18-1·35; p<0·0001) and for girls it was 1·31 (1·12-1·54; p=0·0007). The association between relative age and age at ADHD diagnosis reflected children diagnosed before age 10 years, and the strength of this association increased during recent years (2004-11). Thus, compared with children born between January and April, for those born between May and August, the ADHD incidence ratio was 1·37 (95% CI 1·24-1·53; p<0·0001) and for those born between September and December, the incidence ratio was 1·64 (1·48-1·81; p<0·0001). The relative age effect was not accounted for by comorbid disorders such as CD, ODD, or LD. INTERPRETATION In a health service system with low prescribing rates for ADHD, a younger relative age is associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. This effect has increased in recent years. Teachers, parents, and clinicians should take relative age into account when considering the possibility of ADHD in a child or encountering a child with a pre-existing diagnosis. FUNDING Academy of Finland, Finnish Medical Foundation, Orion Pharma Foundation, Finnish Cultural Foundation.
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Price A, Allen K, Ukoumunne OC, Hayes R, Ford T. Examining the psychological and social impact of relative age in primary school children: a cross-sectional survey. Child Care Health Dev 2017; 43:891-898. [PMID: 28547806 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of studies demonstrate that children who are younger within their school year have poorer academic attainment and are more likely to have special educational needs. Few, however, have considered the impact relative age may have on child mental health, behaviour and happiness in school. METHODS This paper utilized data from the Supporting Teachers and Children in Schools study (2075 pupils aged 5 to 9 years from 80 primary schools) to explore the relationship among relative age, behaviour and happiness in school. Behavioural and emotional development was assessed by using the teacher-reported and parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Pupil Behaviour Questionnaire. Children's happiness within school was assessed by using the How I Feel About My School Questionnaire. RESULTS Relatively younger children had higher Total Difficulties scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire than their peers. There was a mean increase per 30-day decrease in relative age of 0.09 (95% CI: 0.03 to 0.16; p = 0.007) in teacher-reported and 0.08 (0.001 to 0.16; p = 0.05) in parent-reported scores. There was little evidence of a relationship between relative age and children's behaviour and happiness in school. CONCLUSIONS For children with complex difficulties, being relatively young for their school year may be an additional stressor that may undermine mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Price
- Child Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - K Allen
- Child Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - O C Ukoumunne
- NIHR CLAHRC South West Peninsula (PenCLAHRC), University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - R Hayes
- Child Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - T Ford
- Child Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
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Whitely M, Phillimore J, Lester L, Robinson S. Influence of birth month on the probability of Western Australian children being treated for ADHD. Med J Aust 2017; 207:268-269. [DOI: 10.5694/mja17.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Whitely
- Curtin University, Perth, WA
- Murdoch University, Perth, WA
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34
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Dehue T, Bijl D, de Winter M, Scheepers F, Vanheule S, van Os J, Verhaeghe P, Verhoeff B. Subcortical brain volume differences in participants with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults. Lancet Psychiatry 2017; 4:438-439. [PMID: 28495551 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(17)30158-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Trudy Dehue
- Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - Dick Bijl
- Geneesmiddelenbulletin, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Micha de Winter
- Department of Special Education, Utrecht University Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Floor Scheepers
- Department of Psychiatry, Utrecht University Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stijn Vanheule
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jim van Os
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Paul Verhaeghe
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Berend Verhoeff
- Dr Leo Kannerhuis, Amsterdam Centre for Autism, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Karlstad Ø, Furu K, Stoltenberg C, Håberg SE, Bakken IJ. ADHD treatment and diagnosis in relation to children's birth month: Nationwide cohort study from Norway. Scand J Public Health 2017; 45:343-349. [PMID: 28482754 DOI: 10.1177/1403494817708080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies from several countries have reported that children youngest in grade are at higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment. Norwegian children start school the year they turn six, making children born in December youngest in their grade. We used data on medication, specialist healthcare diagnoses, and primary healthcare diagnoses from national registers to investigate associations between birth month and ADHD. METHODS All children born in Norway between 1998 and 2006 ( N=509,827) were followed from age six until 31 December 2014. We estimated hazard ratios for ADHD medication and diagnoses by birth month in Cox proportional-hazards models. We compared risk among siblings to control for potentially confounding socioeconomic factors, and assessed risk of receiving ADHD medication by birth month while attending different grades in cross-sectional time-series analyses. RESULTS At end of follow-up, 5.3% of boys born in October-December had received ADHD medication, compared with 3.7% of boys born in January-March. Corresponding numbers for girls were 2.2% and 1.3%, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for ADHD medication for children born in October-December (reference: January-March) was 1.4 (95% confidence interval: 1.4-1.5) for boys and 1.8 (1.7-2.0) for girls. Analyses with diagnoses as outcome showed consistent results, and analyses restricted to siblings within the study population also supported the findings. Analysis by grade revealed an increased risk for children born late in the year from grade 3 onwards, with most marked differences in higher grades. CONCLUSIONS Children youngest in grade had the highest risk of receiving ADHD treatment. Differences were most marked among older children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kari Furu
- 1 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Camilla Stoltenberg
- 1 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,2 Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- 1 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Reynolds JD, Case LK, Krementsov DN, Raza A, Bartiss R, Teuscher C. Modeling month-season of birth as a risk factor in mouse models of chronic disease: from multiple sclerosis to autoimmune encephalomyelitis. FASEB J 2017; 31:2709-2719. [PMID: 28292961 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Month-season of birth (M-SOB) is a risk factor in multiple chronic diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), where the lowest and greatest risk of developing MS coincide with the lowest and highest birth rates, respectively. To determine whether M-SOB effects in such chronic diseases as MS can be experimentally modeled, we examined the effect of M-SOB on susceptibility of C57BL/6J mice to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). As in MS, mice that were born during the M-SOB with the lowest birth rate were less susceptible to EAE than mice born during the M-SOB with the highest birth rate. We also show that the M-SOB effect on EAE susceptibility is associated with differential production of multiple cytokines/chemokines by neuroantigen-specific T cells that are known to play a role in EAE pathogenesis. Taken together, these results support the existence of an M-SOB effect that may reflect seasonally dependent developmental differences in adaptive immune responses to self-antigens independent of external stimuli, including exposure to sunlight and vitamin D. Moreover, our documentation of an M-SOB effect on EAE susceptibility in mice allows for modeling and detailed analysis of mechanisms that underlie the M-SOB effect in not only MS but in numerous other diseases in which M-SOB impacts susceptibility.-Reynolds, J. D., Case, L. K., Krementsov, D. N., Raza, A., Bartiss, R., Teuscher, C. Modeling month-season of birth as a risk factor in mouse models of chronic disease: from multiple sclerosis to autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Reynolds
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Laure K Case
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | | | - Abbas Raza
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | | | - Cory Teuscher
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA; .,Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
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Faraone SV, Ghirardi L, Kuja-Halkola R, Lichtenstein P, Larsson H. The Familial Co-Aggregation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Intellectual Disability: A Register-Based Family Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 56:167-174.e1. [PMID: 28117063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although many studies document an association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability (ID), little is known about the etiology of this comorbidity and how it should be addressed in clinical settings. We sought to clarify this issue. METHOD All individuals born in Sweden between 1987 and 2006 (n = 2,049,587) were identified using the Medical Birth Register (MBR). From this we selected 7 cohorts of relatives: 1,899,654 parent-offspring pairs, 4,180 monozygotic twin pairs, 12,655 dizygotic twin pairs, 914,848 full sibling pairs, 136,962 maternal half-sibling pairs, 134,502 paternal half-sibling pairs, and 2,790,164 full cousin pairs. We used within-individual and within-family analyses to assess the association between ADHD and ID. RESULTS Individuals with ID were at increased risk for ADHD compared to those without ID, and relatives of participants with ID were at increased risk of ADHD compared with relatives of those without ID. The magnitude of this association was positively associated with the fraction of the genome shared by the relative pair and was lower for severe compared with mild and moderate ID. Model-fitting analyses demonstrated that 91% of the correlation between the liabilities of ADHD and ID was attributable to genetic factors. CONCLUSION These data provide evidence that nearly all of the comorbidity between ADHD and ID can be attributed to genetic factors, which has implications for diagnostic practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen V Faraone
- State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | | | | | - Henrik Larsson
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Merten EC, Cwik JC, Margraf J, Schneider S. Overdiagnosis of mental disorders in children and adolescents (in developed countries). Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2017; 11:5. [PMID: 28105068 PMCID: PMC5240230 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-016-0140-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past 50 years, health insurance providers and national registers of mental health regularly report significant increases in the number of mental disorder diagnoses in children and adolescents. However, epidemiological studies show mixed effects of time trends of prevalence of mental disorders. Overdiagnosis in clinical practice rather than an actual increase is assumed to be the cause for this situation. We conducted a systematic literature search on the topic of overdiagnosis of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Most reviewed studies suggest that misdiagnosis does occur; however, only one study was able to examine overdiagnosis in child and adolescent mental disorders from a methodological point-of-view. This study found significant evidence of overdiagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In the second part of this paper, we summarize findings concerning diagnostician, informant and child/adolescent characteristics, as well as factors concerning diagnostic criteria and the health care system that can lead to mistakes in the routine diagnostic process resulting in misdiagnoses. These include the use of heuristics instead of data-based decisions by diagnosticians, misleading information by caregivers, ambiguity in symptom description relating to classification systems, as well as constraints in most health systems to assign a diagnosis in order to approve and reimburse treatment. To avoid misdiagnosis, standardized procedures as well as continued education of diagnosticians working with children and adolescents suffering from a mental disorder are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Charlotte Merten
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany
| | - Jan Christopher Cwik
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany
| | - Jürgen Margraf
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany
| | - Silvia Schneider
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany
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Brikell I, Kuja-Halkola R, Larsson JO, Lahey BB, Kuntsi J, Lichtenstein P, Rydelius PA, Larsson H. Relative Immaturity in Childhood and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms From Childhood to Early Adulthood: Exploring Genetic and Environmental Overlap Across Development. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016; 55:886-95. [PMID: 27663944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to immaturity relative to peers in childhood, yet it is unclear how such immaturity is associated with ADHD across development. This longitudinal twin study examined the genetic and environmental contributions to the association between parents' perception of their child's immaturity relative to peers (RI) in childhood and ADHD symptoms across development. METHOD 1,302 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were followed prospectively from childhood to early adulthood. Parent ratings of RI were collected at 8 to 9 years and parent and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms were collected at 8 to 9, 13 to 14, 16 to 17, and 19 to 20 years using the Child Behavior Checklist Attention Problems scale. In addition, ADHD symptoms corresponding to DSM criteria were used for sensitivity analysis. Analyses were conducted using longitudinal structural equation modeling with multiple raters. RESULTS RI-related etiologic factors, predominantly influenced by genes, explained 10-14% of the variance in ADHD symptoms from 8 to 9 up to 16 to 17 years. The influence of these RI-related factors on ADHD symptoms attenuated to 4% by 19 to 20 years of age. The remaining variance in ADHD symptoms was primarily explained by genetic factors independent of RI, which remained relatively stable across development, explaining 19% to 30% of the variance in ADHD symptoms from 13 to 14 up to 19 to 20 years. CONCLUSION The results show that RI is significantly associated with ADHD symptoms, particularly during childhood and adolescence, and that the association is primarily explained by a shared genetic liability. Nevertheless, the magnitude of associations across development was modest, highlighting that RI is merely one aspect contributing to the complex etiology of ADHD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jonna Kuntsi
- King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London
| | | | - Per-Anders Rydelius
- Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; Center for Research on Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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40
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Replicating Cardiovascular Condition-Birth Month Associations. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33166. [PMID: 27624541 PMCID: PMC5021975 DOI: 10.1038/srep33166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Independent replication is vital for study findings drawn from Electronic Health Records (EHR). This replication study evaluates the relationship between seasonal effects at birth and lifetime cardiovascular condition risk. We performed a Season-wide Association Study on 1,169,599 patients from Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) to compute phenome-wide associations between birth month and CVD. We then evaluated if seasonal patterns found at MSH matched those reported at Columbia University Medical Center. Coronary arteriosclerosis, essential hypertension, angina, and pre-infarction syndrome passed phenome-wide significance and their seasonal patterns matched those previously reported. Atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and chronic myocardial ischemia had consistent patterns but were not phenome-wide significant. We confirm that CVD risk peaks for those born in the late winter/early spring among the evaluated patient populations. The replication findings bolster evidence for a seasonal birth month effect in CVD. Further study is required to identify the environmental and developmental mechanisms.
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Chen MH, Lan WH, Bai YM, Huang KL, Su TP, Tsai SJ, Li CT, Lin WC, Chang WH, Pan TL, Chen TJ, Hsu JW. Influence of Relative Age on Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Taiwanese Children. J Pediatr 2016; 172:162-167.e1. [PMID: 26973148 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the potential influence of relative age on the diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially in reference to an Asian country. STUDY DESIGN A total of 378 881 subjects aged 4-17 years during the study period (September 1, 1997 to August 31, 2011) were enrolled in our study from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the likelihood of receiving ADHD diagnosis and treatment for those who were born in August (the youngest) compared with those who were born in September (the oldest). RESULTS Both boys and girls born in August had a higher risk of being diagnosed with ADHD (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.45-1.84; OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.36-2.15) and receiving ADHD medication (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.53-2.02; OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.26-2.18) than those born in September. Sensitivity tests conducted over different periods revealed consistent findings. CONCLUSIONS Relative age, as an indicator of neurocognitive maturity, is crucial in the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD and receiving ADHD medication among children and adolescents. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering the age of a child within a grade when diagnosing ADHD and prescribing medication for treating ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Hong Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Hsuan Lan
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Municipal Gan Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Mei Bai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Lin Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Ping Su
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Ta Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chen Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Han Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Long Pan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Liver Research Center, Division of Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tzeng-Ji Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Wei Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Hoshen MB, Benis A, Keyes KM, Zoëga H. Stimulant use for ADHD and relative age in class among children in Israel. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2016; 25:652-60. [PMID: 26823045 DOI: 10.1002/pds.3962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnosis of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing. The present study sought to identify characteristics and medication treatment patterns of children with ADHD and compare them by relative age in class, sex, ethnicity, family size, sibling order, and other socioeconomic status, as well as find trends in disparity of pharmacotherapy. METHODS This study was based on data from 1 013 149 Clalit Health Services members aged 6-17 years during 2006-2011. Centrally acting sympathomimetic drug purchases were compared according to children's estimated relative age in class; youngest third (born August to November), middle third (born April to July), and oldest third (born December to March). Treatment trends were determined and compared according to sociodemographic and family-related factors. RESULTS The overall prevalence of stimulant use in the population was 2.6% in 2006 and 4.9% in 2011. The annual incidence of stimulant use increased from 0.75% to 1.36%, rising more sharply among children in the older age groups (≥12) than among younger ones. Moreover, the youngest third of children in class was more likely to use medication than the oldest third (risk ratio (RR) 1.17, confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.23) or the middle third (RR 1.06, CI 1.01-1.11). Of the different ethnic sectors, incidence of stimulant use was highest among general Jewish (1.8% in 2011) and lowest among Arabs (0.37% in 2011). CONCLUSIONS The use of stimulant medication is growing among children in Israel. Although the overall use does not exceed the estimated prevalence of ADHD among children, the appropriateness of prescribing to the Israeli pediatric population, especially to the youngest children in class, may be questionable. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moshe B Hoshen
- Clalit Research Institute, Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Arriel Benis
- Clalit Research Institute, Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Katherine M Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helga Zoëga
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Librero J, Izquierdo-María R, García-Gil M, Peiró S. Edad relativa de los niños en clase y tratamiento farmacológico del trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad. Estudio poblacional en un departamento de salud. Med Clin (Barc) 2015; 145:471-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2015.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 02/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Boland MR, Shahn Z, Madigan D, Hripcsak G, Tatonetti NP. Birth month affects lifetime disease risk: a phenome-wide method. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2015; 22:1042-53. [PMID: 26041386 PMCID: PMC4986668 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocv046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE An individual's birth month has a significant impact on the diseases they develop during their lifetime. Previous studies reveal relationships between birth month and several diseases including atherothrombosis, asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and myopia, leaving most diseases completely unexplored. This retrospective population study systematically explores the relationship between seasonal affects at birth and lifetime disease risk for 1688 conditions. METHODS We developed a hypothesis-free method that minimizes publication and disease selection biases by systematically investigating disease-birth month patterns across all conditions. Our dataset includes 1 749 400 individuals with records at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center born between 1900 and 2000 inclusive. We modeled associations between birth month and 1688 diseases using logistic regression. Significance was tested using a chi-squared test with multiplicity correction. RESULTS We found 55 diseases that were significantly dependent on birth month. Of these 19 were previously reported in the literature (P < .001), 20 were for conditions with close relationships to those reported, and 16 were previously unreported. We found distinct incidence patterns across disease categories. CONCLUSIONS Lifetime disease risk is affected by birth month. Seasonally dependent early developmental mechanisms may play a role in increasing lifetime risk of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Regina Boland
- Department of Biomedical Informatics Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI)
| | | | - David Madigan
- Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) Department of Statistics
| | - George Hripcsak
- Department of Biomedical Informatics Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI)
| | - Nicholas P Tatonetti
- Department of Biomedical Informatics Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) Department of Systems Biology Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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