Trauma exposure among children with oppositional defiant disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder

Consecutive admissions to an outpatient child psychiatry clinic diagnosed w ith oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), attention deficit-hyperactivity di sorder (ADHD), or adjustment disorder were assessed for trauma exposure by a structured clinical interview and parent report. Controlling for age, gen der, severity of internalizing behavior problems, social competence, family psychopathology, and parent-child relationship quality (assessed by parent report), an ODD diagnosis, with or without comorbid ADHD, was associated w ith increased likelihood of prior victimization (but not nonvictimization) trauma. ADHD alone was not associated with an increased likelihood of a his tory of trauma exposure. Traumatic victimization contributed uniquely to th e prediction of ODD but not ADHD diagnoses. Children in psychiatric treatme nt who are diagnosed with ODD, but not those diagnosed solely with ADHD, ma y particularly require evaluation and care for posttraumatic sequelae.