Children’s Color Trail Test for Objective Assessment of Attention in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study

Objective: To compare the Children’s Color Trail Test scores in children with and withoutAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to assess its diagnostic performance in assessingattention-deficit. Methods: 50 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(diagnosed as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition) and 50 age- and sex-matched children underwent Test 1 and Test 2 of the Children’s Color Trail Test. A ReceiverOperating Characteristics curve was constructed for the diagnostic accuracy of Children’sColor Trail Test in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Results: The Receiver OperatingCharacteristics curve showed a score ≤32 for Children’s Color Trail Test 1 [AUC: 0.8 (0.71 to0.87); P<0.001] and score ≤40 for Children’s Color Trail Test 2 [AUC: 0.85 (0.77 to 0.92);P<0.001] as the best cut-off for diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Conclusion: Children’s Color Trail Test is a promising tool for diagnosing attention deficit,and could be used in settings where parent or teacher reports are not available

Confiabilidad y validez de la Escala de Déficit Atencional (EDAH) adaptada en estudiantes chilenos / Reliability and validity of the adapted Scale of Attentional Deficit (EDAH) in Chilean students

ANTECEDENTES:Las necesidades de atención en salud mental infantil hacen necesario contar con estudios epidemiológicos que sirvan de base para perfeccionar las intervenciones y acrecentar el diagnóstico, con instrumentos fiables y adecuados al contexto.OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala para la Evaluación del Trastorno por Déficit Atencional (EDAH), en escolares de primaria y secundaria de Chile.MÉTODO: Se evaluó una muestra de 508 alumnos (144 con Déficit Atencional, 110 con sospecha de padecerlo y 254 comunes) mediante un test completado por sus profesores.RESULTADOS: La estructura factorial de la EDAH reveló tres factores que en conjunto explican el 71,61% de la varianza total de la escala, con un coeficiente Alfa de 0,948. Esto permite concluir que la adaptación de la escala presenta características psicométricas aceptables, una adecuada consistencia interna y que sus elementos poseen un adecuado poder discriminatorio.DISCUSIÓN Y CONCLUSIÓN: Se efectuó el estudio transversal de salud mental en escolares chilenos, el cual reveló que la escala EDAH adaptada posee alta capacidad de discriminación, adecuada fiabilidad de elementos y factores, además de presentar un óptimo poder discriminante entre factores. Se analizan las implicaciones y el posible aporte en la detección precoz del diagnóstico clínico en salud mental.

BACKGROUND: The needs of children's mental health care make it necessary to have epidemiological studies that serve as a basis to refine the interventions and enhance the diagnosis with reliable and appropriate tools.OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the scale for the assessment of the Attentional Deficit Disorder (ADHD) in primary and secondary schools in Chile.METHOD: A sample of 508 students (144 with Attentional deficits, 110 with suspected autism and 254 common) was assessed through a test completed by their teachers.RESULTS: The factorial structure of the ADHD revealed that three factors explain together the 71.61 % of the total variance of the scale, with a coefficient alpha of 0,948. This allows us to conclude that the scale presents acceptable psychometric characteristics and adequate internal consistency, and that its elements have a suitable discriminatory power.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIÓN: The present study of mental health in Chilean schoolchildren revealed that the ADHD adapted scale possesses a high discriminant capacity and adequate elements and factors reliability, as well as an optimal discriminant power among factors. We analyze the implications and possible contribution to the early detection of clinical diagnosis in mental health.

Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and sleep problems in Korean children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a single institution study / 소아과

PURPOSE: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in school-aged children. Patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) often present with ADHD symptoms and vice versa. This study was the first to attempt to identify the prevalence of RLS and sleep problems in children with ADHD in Korea. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with ADHD were asked to complete a sleep questionnaire. The sleep questionnaire included items to help identify the presence of four typical symptoms that are used as diagnostic criteria for RLS. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients, including 51 boys and 5 girls (mean age, 10.7 years old) participated. Of these, 24 complained of pain, discomfort, or an unpleasant sensation in the legs. Based on the RLS diagnostic criteria, 2 patients were diagnosed with definite RLS and 4 with probable RLS. There were no significant differences in age, medication dosage, or neuropsychological test scores between the patients with and without RLS symptoms. CONCLUSION: Approximately 42.9% of patients with ADHD presented with RLS symptoms and 7.1% of these were diagnosed with RLS. Patients with ADHD also experienced various other sleep disorders. Thus, appropriate assessment and treatment for sleep disorders in patients with ADHD is essential.

Análisis de la escala para la evaluación del trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad en población escolar Chilena / Analysis of a scale for the assessment of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity in Chilean children

Background: Epidemiologic studies may be used as a starting point to improve interventions and improve diagnosis, with instruments that are both reliable and adequate. Aim: To analyze the psychometric properties of the Attention Defcit Disorder Evaluation Scale (ADDES) in Chilean primary and high school students. Material and Methods: The ADDES was applied by 142 teachers to 254 students. Attention Defcit Disorder was already diagnosed in 144 students. Explanatory and confirmatory factorial analyses were carried out. Results: Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) proved that the model suggested by the authors could not be replicated in the Chilean sample. Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA) showed that three new factors came out of the analysis. CFA was applied to the new model and modification indexes suggested the introduction of new saturations. Based on the model with the best goodness-of-fit, psychometric characteristics were evaluated. Conclusions: The ADDES adapted to the Chilean context has a high reliability and a strong discrimination ability, allowing the evaluation of behavior disorders, hyperactivity/impulsivity and attention deficit.

Sintomas e sinais de respiração predominantemente oral em adolescentes com transtorno de déficit de atenção/hiperatividade e queixa de prejuízo escolar / Symptoms and signs of mouth breathing in teenagers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and with complaints about school underachievement

OBJETIVOS: caracterizar sintomas e sinais da Respiração Predominantemente Oral em adolescentes com Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade e queixa de prejuízo escolar e relacionar as características com os Tipos do Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade, gênero e faixa etária. MÉTODOS: realizada no ADOLESCENTRO, instituição pública do Distrito Federal, com 115 adolescentes de ambos os gêneros, faixa etária 10-18 anos, apresentando queixa de prejuízo escolar e Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade. Histórico dos sintomas diurnos e noturnos dos dois aos doze anos foi analisado e sinais da Respiração Predominantemente Oral. RESULTADOS: alta ocorrência (86,95 por cento) de sintomas e sinais da Respiração Predominantemente Oral. Registrou-se associação entre amigdalite e tipos do Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade com maior frequência no Tipo II hiperativo (60 por cento), sialorreia no travesseiro com gênero predominando o masculino (65,5 por cento) e respiração oral diurna (64,7 por cento), respiração oral noturna (82,4 por cento) e sialorreia no travesseiro (64,7 por cento) todas estas com a faixa etária de 10 a 12 anos. Houve associação entre lábios (54,3 por cento) e língua (54,3 por cento) não funcionais e faixa etária de 10 a 12 anos. Encontrou-se diferença estatisticamente significante para expulsões (20 por cento), suspensões (70 por cento), advertências (100 por cento) e tipos de Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade com maior freqüência no Tipo II hiperativo. CONCLUSÃO: avaliação da respiração em pacientes com Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade e queixa de prejuízo escolar é fundamental, pois dificuldades escolares podem estar associadas à história pregressa de respiração oral e Distúrbios Respiratórios do Sono comuns nestes quadros.

PURPOSE: to characterize symptoms and signs of Mouth Breathing in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and with complaints about school underachievement. The specific objectives were to relate the found characteristics to the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder types, gender and age of this population. METHODS: data were collected at ADOLESCENTRO; a public institution of the State Secretary of Health of the Federal District - Brazil. Nocturne and daytime symptoms that appeared in the age ranging between two and twelve-years-old were reported by the parents and were analyzed, as well as some signs cited on literature as being common characteristics of Mouth Breathing. RESULTS: a high frequency of Mouth Breathing characteristics were found to be associated with snoring, nocturne mouth breathing, rhinitis, sialorrhoea, dark undereye circles and dry lips. Related to the symptoms, an association was found among tonsillitis and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder types; sialorrhoea on the pillow with masculine gender and daytime mouth breathing; nocturne mouth breathing, sialorrhoea on the pillow with age. An association was found between non-functional lips with age and non-functional tongue with age. CONCLUSION: the possibility of simultaneous existence of Mouth Breathing on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and complaints about school underachievement requires a deeper diagnostic investigation.

Hemispheric asymmetry of conflict control in two subtypes of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To examine the potential hemispheric asymmetry of conflict control in two subtypes of children with ADHD(25 of predominantly inattentive,i.e.,ADHD-I;and 31 of combined,i.e.,ADHD-C).Methods:A cross-modal interference task was used,in which the auditory distractors were provided either from the left ear or from the right ear and they constituted congruent,incongruent or neural relations with targets displayed at the screen center of the computer.Results:Children with ADHD showed an distinctive pattern of error rate when distractors were provided from the left ear compared with the normal controls,with a significant conflict effect for ADHD(effect size was 4%),F(1,110)=18.16,P0.1.Moreover,children with ADHD showed a tendency of a reversal inhibition effect(effect size was-1.7%),F(1,110)=3.16,0.050.1.Conclusion:The results suggest that children with ADHD showed atypical pattern of their right hemisphere in conflict control compared with normal children,the atypical pattern of right hemisphere for ADHD-C need to be further studied.