Psychology

Early and Concurrent Features of ADHD and Sensory Over-Responsivity Symptom Clusters

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to characterize clusters of children based on ADHD and sensory over-responsivity (SOR) symptoms, and to compare their markers. Method: Parents of 922 infants completed the Infant–Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) Sensory Sensitivity, Attention, and Activity/Impulsivity scales at three time points during early childhood and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and SensOR inventory during elementary school age. Results: Four school-age clusters emerged from the CBCL ADHD and SensOR scores: (a) elevated SOR symptoms only (n = 35); (b) elevated ADHD symptoms only (n = 38); (c) elevated ADHD and SOR symptoms (ADHD + S, n = 35); and (d) low ADHD and SOR symptoms (n = 814). The SOR and ADHD + S clusters had higher early Sensitivity scores than the ADHD and Low clusters. The ADHD and ADHD + S clusters differed from the SOR and Low clusters in their early Attention and Activity/Impulsivity scores. Conclusion: SOR and ADHD symptoms occur independently and consistently over time.

Publication Title

Journal of Attention Disorders

Publication Date

2017

Volume

21

Issue

10

First Page

835

Last Page

845

ISSN

1087-0547

DOI

10.1177/1087054714543495

Keywords

ADHD, attention, children, cluster analysis, sensory over-responsivity

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