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Adolescent and Caregiver Reports of ADHD Symptoms Among Inner-City Youth: Agreement, Perceived Need for Treatment, and Behavioral Correlates

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Journal of Attention Disorders: A Journal of Theoretical and Applied Science

Published online on

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated adolescent and caregiver reports of ADHD symptoms in a sample of clinically referred inner-city adolescents. Method: Participants (N = 168) included youth ages 12-18 (54% male, 98% ethnic minority) and their caregivers who each completed diagnostic interviews of ADHD symptoms and assessments of perceived need for ADHD treatment and correlated behavior problems. Results: Informants showed poor agreement on DSM-IV diagnostic categories and also dimensional scales, Inattention/Disorganization (I/D) and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (H/I). Both caregiver and adolescent reports of I/D symptoms, but not H/I symptoms, were related to perceived need for ADHD treatment. Caregiver reports were linked to behavioral correlates typically associated with ADHD: I/D symptoms correlated with planning/organization and socioemotional deficits, and H/I symptoms correlated with externalizing and behavior regulation deficits. In contrast, adolescent reports of I/D were related to internalizing and externalizing problems, and their reports of H/I correlated with externalizing only. Few gender effects were found. Conclusion: Study results underscore the developmental salience of I/D symptoms and have implications for ADHD diagnosis and treatment planning for adolescents. (J. of Att. Dis. 2012; XX(X) 1-XX)