The assessment of behavior problems, educational success and peer relationships, in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate behavior problems, educational success and peer-relations of children with attention deficit hyperactivity and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder. Method: The study involved children between the ages of 6 to 11 with ADHD and ADHD+ODD diagnosis on the basis of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. They were seeking medical treatment for the first time at the child psychiatry polyclinic of DEU Faculty of Medicine. The ADHD group and the ADHD+ODD group included respectively 21 and 26 boys, while there were 27 boys in the control group comprising healthy volunteers. The children's mothers were given short questionnaire enquiring demographic information. The children's mothers filled in the child behavior check lists (CBCL) for children and adolescents between the ages of 4-18 and the parents filled in the forms of DSM-IV based behavior disorders screening and rating scale for lack of attention and disruptive behavior disorders, and the teachers filled in a brief form of Conner's Teacher Rating Scale. Findings: The children with ADHD+ODD had significantly higher anxious-depressed scores compared to children with ADHD and controls. In addition, the anxious-depressed scores of children with ADHD had significantly higher scores from controls. Although there were no significantly differences between ADHD group and ADHD+ODD group in social problems, both ADHD and ADHD+ODD groups had significantly higher scores as compared to controls in social problems. Both ADHD and ADHD+ODD groups demonstrated significantly higher problems in peer relationships and educational success as compared to controls. Discussion and Conclusion: This study demonstrated that, the children with ADHD and ADHD+ODD demonstrated more anxiety/mood problems. In addition to psychopharmacologic treatment, psychotherapeutic approaches should have an important place in the treatment of these disorders.