Exploring associations between ADHD symptoms and emotional problems from childhood to adulthood: shared aetiology or possible causal relationship?

Journal: Psychological medicine

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Affiliated Institutions:  Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.

Abstract summary 

ADHD symptoms are associated with emotional problems such as depressive and anxiety symptoms from early childhood to adulthood, with the association increasing with age. A shared aetiology and/or a causal relationship could explain their correlation. In the current study, we explore these explanations for the association between ADHD symptoms and emotional problems from childhood to adulthood.Data were drawn from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), including 3675 identical and 7063 non-identical twin pairs. ADHD symptoms and emotional symptoms were reported by parents from childhood to adulthood. Self-report scales were included from early adolescence. Five direction of causation (DoC) twin models were fitted to distinguish whether associations were better explained by shared aetiology and/or causal relationships in early childhood, mid-childhood, early adolescence, late adolescence, and early adulthood. Follow-up analyses explored associations for the two subdomains of ADHD symptoms, hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention, separately.The association between ADHD symptoms and emotional problems increased in magnitude from early childhood to adulthood. In the best-fitting models, positive genetic overlap played an important role in this association at all stages. A negative causal effect running from ADHD symptoms to emotional problems was also detected in early childhood and mid-childhood. When distinguishing ADHD subdomains, the apparent protective effect of ADHD symptoms on emotional problems in childhood was mostly driven by hyperactivity-impulsivity.Genetic overlap plays an important role in the association between ADHD symptoms and emotional problems. Hyperactivity-impulsivity may protect children from emotional problems in childhood, but this protective effect diminishes after adolescence.

Authors & Co-authors:  You Yuan Y Oginni Olakunle A OA Rijsdijk Fruhling V FV Lim Kai X KX Zavos Helena M S HMS McAdams Tom A TA

Study Outcome 

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Citations : 
Authors :  6
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1017/S0033291724002514
SSN : 1469-8978
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
TEDS;attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;direction of causation;emotional problems;twin study
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England