Impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms on the clinical features of adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders.

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-like symptoms are common among children and adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of ADHD-like symptoms on the clinical features of adolescents with PDD.

Methods: A total of 72 subjects (between the ages of 12 and 17) diagnosed as having PDD were split into higher (ADHD+) and lower (ADHD-) groups according to the presence of ADHD-like symptoms as assessed with the Japanese version of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV-J). Group differences in coexisting psychopathology, as assessed by the eight subscales of the Japanese version of the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 4-18 (CBCL/4-18-J) and autistic core features, as assessed by the adolescent part of the PDD-Autism Society of Japan Rating Scale (PARS), were examined.

Results: The ADHD + subjects showed a significantly higher degree of general psychopathology, including both externalizing and internalizing symptoms, as compared to subjects in the ADHD- subgroup. Additionally, the ADHD + subgroup showed greater impairment according to PARS scores.

Conclusions: These results indicate an important role of ADHD-like symptoms in PDD. Therefore, parents/caregivers may find it useful to know to what extent their child's ADHD-like symptoms deviate from the norm for PDD adolescents and the implications of these symptoms for long-term care. In addition, clinicians would be well advised to consider further systematic assessment of ADHD-like symptoms.