Familial Influences on the Expression of ADHD in Children: Exploring the role of

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): It is estimated that between 3-5% of school-aged children in the United States develop Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), making it the most prevalent behavioral disorder of childhood. Common sequelae of ADHD include inattention, distractability, and developmentally inappropriate levels of activity. Although the etiology of ADHD is unclear, it has been linked to a number of factors, including neurophysiological differences, genetic transmission, and a host of environmental influences. The relationship between substance use and ADHD has also received much attention. Research has shown that adolescents diagnosed with ADHD are significantly more likely than their non-ADHD counterparts to develop a substance use disorder (SUD). Further, adolescents with ADHD appear to experiment with drugs and alcohol at an earlier age than their non-ADHD counterparts. Although much attention has focused on the relationship between ADHD and comorbid substance abuse/dependence, few studies have examined the relationship between parental substance use and child ADHD. Research to-date has focused primarily on drug abuse treatment-seeking adults and their children. Few investigations have focused on non-treatment seeking populations, and almost all were conducted with Caucasian samples. The purpose of the present study is to address this gap in the research literature by further exploring the relationship between parental substance use disorders and ADHD symptoms in their children. The study will utilize a predominantly low-SES African-American pediatric care sample drawn from an urban, university-based pediatric clinic. Specifically, this B-START application seeks to 1) determine the general prevalence of children exhibiting ADHD symptoms in a general pediatric care setting; 2) compare rates of parental substance abuse in children with and without ADHD; and 3) explore relationships among child ADHD, gender, parental substance use, parent ADHD, family environment/stress and children and parent psychological problems. The study will provide benchmark data that will set the stage for subsequent intervention-oriented research with this high-risk patient population. This proposal was developed in response to an apparent gap in the existing literature regarding familial substance use and child ADHD. An understudied population in this body of research is targeted for the proposed investigation, low SES, minority (primarily African American (65%)) families recruited from a general pediatric setting. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]