SEX AND AGE DIFFERENCES IN ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

拟议的研究将检查从儿童晚期到青春期过渡期间注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的性别差异。本研究将确定：（1）从儿童晚期到青春期的过渡期间，男性或女性的 DSM-IV ADHD 症状的因素结构是否不同；（2）DSM-IV 的 ADHD 诊断标准是否未能充分识别出经历 ADHD 相关障碍的女性；（3）从儿童晚期到青春期的过渡期间，男性和女性是否遵循相似的 ADHD 症状发展轨迹。总的来说，这些研究将有助于完善 ADHD 的诊断标准，但无法识别患有 ADHD 相关障碍的女性，以及 (3) 在从童年晚期到青春期的过渡过程中，男性和女性是否遵循相似的 ADHD 症状发展轨迹。总的来说，这些研究将有助于完善 ADHD 的诊断标准。该提案的重要方面包括：（1）高质量、纵向、流行病学数据集的二次数据分析，（2）使用区分注意力不集中和多动冲动症状类型的 DSM-IV 标准评估 ADHD，（3）从明确的发展角度处理 ADHD 的性别差异问题，以及（4）利用先进的定量方法来解决传统方法提出的研究问题。

The proposed studies will examine sex differences in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during the transition from late childhood to adolescence. This research will determine: (1) whether the factor- structure of DSM-IV ADHD symptoms differs for males or females during the transition from late childhood through adolescence, (2) whether DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ADHD under-identify females who experience ADHD related impairment, and (3) whether males and females follow similar developmental trajectories of ADHD symptomatology during the transition from late childhood through adolescence. Collectively these studies will facilitate efforts to refine the diagnostic criteria for ADHD under-identify females who experience ADHD related impairment, and (3) whether males and females follow similar developmental trajectories of ADHD symptomatology during the transition from late childhood through adolescence. Collectively these studies will facilitate efforts to refine the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Important aspects of this proposal include: (1) Secondary data analysis of a high quality, longitudinal, epidemiological data set, (2) Assessing ADHD using DSM-IV criteria that distinguish between inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptom types, (3) Approaching the question of sex differences in ADHD from an explicitly developmental perspective, and (4) Utilizing advanced quantitative methods that address the proposed research questions that do traditional methods.