Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 6 year olds of Yazd city

ABSTRACT

Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] is the most common psychiatric disorder in school age children and has a negative effect on the individual's general functions. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ADHD in preschool 6 year old children in Yazd in 2005 and the influence of gender, birth weight, birth order and parental education on ADHD. 400 preschool children including 200 boys and 200 girls were selected randomly through sampling method and the data of the cross sectional research was collected via compiled questionnaires based on the DSM-IV criteria and interview of parents. Data of this investigation was analyzed and evaluated using SPSS 11.5 software. The results showed that general prevalence of ADHD was 16/3% and more in boys [19/5%] than girls [13%]. Most of the parents of the affected children were illiterate or uneducated. There was no statistically significant relationship between gender, birth weight, order and ADHD frequency. In view of the high prevalence of ADHD among children in Yazd and its undesirable outcome, it is recommended to have a preventive mental health program for screening and treatment