ATTENTION-DEFICIT DISORDER AND ANXIETY DI SORDERS - A COMORBIDITY STUDY

Recent epidemiological studies have evaluated the concomitant occurren ce of several disorders in children. Over the last few years there hav e been reports from Anglo-Saxon investigators that many children with attention deficit disorder-hyperactivity also have anxiety disorders. This is the first French study addressing this issue. The prevalence a nd types of anxiety disorders were determined in 50 children with atte ntion deficit disorder-hyperactivity using a questionnaire and a semi- structured interview. Over 40 % of subjects had at least one concomita nt anxiety disorder meeting DSM-III-R criteria. Hyperanxiety and separ ation anxiety were the most common anxiety disorders. Among patients w ith anxiety, over 40 % had more than one anxiety disorder. These data are consistent with earlier Anglo-Saxon reports. Symptoms of anxiety w hich discriminated hyperactive children with and without anxiety disor ders were identified.