Predictors of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Preschool Children

描述（由申请人提供）：这项纵向研究是基于这样的假设，即AD/HD儿童代表了一个神经脆弱的群体，但父母的质量特征影响症状的表现和严重程度。因此，神经脆弱性的证据，如在学龄前儿童神经心理学测试评估可能是特别有用的区分那些“风险”的儿童谁做和不继续发展AD/HD。此外，通过评估学龄前儿童的养育技能的质量，我们假设，将有一个相互作用，这样的组合的神经心理缺陷和消极的父母的特点，将预示着不良后果在学龄前的危险儿童。 主要目的是确定是否神经心理学和养育因素，独立和组合，区分注意力不集中/多动的学龄前儿童谁做和不发展AD/HD。目标是招募和跟踪一个大样本的3岁和4岁的“风险”和控制儿童的行为，神经心理和养育数据收集在基线。随后，将每六个月收集一次行为评级，并每年进行更深入的临床、神经心理学和育儿评估。本研究的主要依赖性指标将在儿童6岁时收集。此外，第二个目的是检查遗传状态对ADHD出现的预测有效性的程度，以及遗传状态与神经心理学结果相关的程度，并在AD/HD的出现中与父母因素相互作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This longitudinal study is based upon the hypothesis that children with AD/HD represent a neurologically vulnerable group, but that the quality of parenting characteristics affects the manifestation and severity of symptoms. As such, evidence of neurological vulnerability, as assessed by neuropsychological tests in preschool children may be particularly useful for distinguishing between those "at risk" children who do and do not go on to develop AD/HD. Further, by assessing the quality of parenting skills during the preschool age, we hypothesize that there will be an interaction such that the combination of neuropsychological deficits and negative parenting characteristics will portend adverse outcome during the school-age years for at risk preschool children. The primary aim is to determine whether neuropsychological and parenting factors, independently and in combination, distinguish between inattentive/hyperactive preschool children who do and do not develop AD/HD. The goal is to recruit and follow a large sample of 3 and 4 year-old "at risk" and control children for whom behavioral, neuropsychological and parenting data are collected at baseline. Subsequently, behavioral ratings will be gathered every six months, and more in-depth clinical, neuropsychological and parenting assessments will be conducted annually. The primary dependent measures for this study will be collected when the children are six years-old. In addition, a secondary aim is to examine the extent to which genetic status has predictive validity for the emergence of ADHD, and the degree to which genetic status relates to neuropsychological findings and interacts with parenting factors in the emergence of AD/HD.