Maternal Ratings of the ADHD Symptoms: Subtypes Versus Severity in Clinic-Referred Children and Adolescents

The effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention on improving executive functions and reducing the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children

The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention on improving executive functions and reducing the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children. This study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental, pretest and post-test and follow up design. 56 children between 5 and 7 years of age(M = 6.9, SD= 1.7) with ADHD or with symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity are being recruited to participate in the mindfulness-based intervention. To determine whether there are any significant differences between the two independent (unrelated) groups on executive functions and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pre-post-follow up test and multiple comparisons are used. Pretest assessments were conducted for both the control and training groups. Following the pretest, a four-weeks of training commenced for the intervention group only. T-test results for the differences in post- test mean scores between the two groups in EF and in ADHD symptoms showed that the training group outperformed the control group. There were statistical differences in EF and in ADHD symptoms between pre and post measures in favor of post test, and between pre and follow up measures in favor of follow up test, but no statistical differences between post and follow up test. This study demonstrates that it is possible to enhance EF skills using mindfulness-based intervention in which young with ADHD are engaged in a series of group play based activities.

In search of the optimum structural model for Internet Gaming Disorder

BACKGROUND

Internet gaming Disorder (IGD) constitutes a recently proposed clinical disorder (American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2013). The present study examined if IGD is best conceptualized as categorical (present/absent), or dimensional (severity ranging from low to high), or both (i.e., hybrid of categorical/dimensional).

METHODS

Ratings of the nine DSM-5 IGD symptoms, as presented in the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9-Short Form (Pontes & Griffiths, Comput Hum Behav 45:137-143, 2015), from 738 gamers, aged 17 to 72 years, were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), latent class analysis (LCA), and factor mixture modelling analysis (FMMA) procedures were applied to determine the optimum IGD model.

RESULTS

Although the findings showed most support for a FFMA model with two classes and one factor, there was also good statistical and substantive support for the one-factor CFA model, and the LCA model with three classes.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that while the optimum structure of IGD is most likely to be a hybrid model (i.e., concurrently categorical and dimensional), a uni-dimensional model and/or a three-class categorical model are also plausible.

Risk factors influencing severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a sample of preparatory school students in Cairo

BACKGROUND

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Severity of symptoms is associated with more behavioral problems, poor academic performance, and persistence of symptoms into adulthood.

METHODS

To examine the clinical and social correlates that may be identified as risk factors associated with ADHD severity in a sample of adolescent ADHD school students. A total of 925 students were recruited from two public and two private schools from eastern Cairo. They were interviewed using Conners-Wells Adolescent Self-Report-short version (CASS-S); students scoring more than 65 were further interviewed with Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-present and lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) to confirm the diagnosis, then Conners-Wells Adolescent Self-Report-long version (CASS-L) to assess severity and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) to ascertain intellectual ability.

RESULTS

About 10.3% of cases were severe, 5.7% were moderate, and 83.9% were mild. Severity was significantly associated with female gender, psychiatric comorbidity, family problems, conduct symptoms, and poor anger management. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) ( DSM-IV) hyperactive-impulsive type was the only predictive factor of ADHD severity.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of hyperactive-impulsive subtype may predict the severity of ADHD symptoms.

Maternal ratings of ODD symptoms: Subtypes versus severity in a general community sample of children

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a common childhood disorder (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000; APA, 2013). The aim of the present study was to ascertain the optimal structure for the ODD symptoms by identifying whether ODD is a qualitatively distinct entity (categorical) or is a continuum, with high levels on this continuum reflecting ODD (quantitative or dimensional view).

METHODS

Mothers' ratings of the ODD symptoms of 457 children, aged 3 to 15years, as presented in the disruptive behavior rating scale were obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), latent class analysis (LCA), and factor mixture modelling (FMM) were applied to determine the best model for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in children.

RESULTS

The findings provided most support for a FMM with 3 classes (unaffected odd class, at risk class, and affected class) and 3 factors (oppositional, antagonistic, and negative affect).

CONCLUSION

The findings are discussed in relation to dimensional, categorical, and hybrid (categorical/dimensional) models of ODD symptoms.