Preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Impairments in behavioral, social, and school functioning

Objective: To examine differences in home, school, and medical functioning between preschool-age children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorde r (ADHD) and normal control children. Method: A sample of 94 children (58 w ith ADHD, 36 normal controls) between 3 and 5 years old participated. Depen dent measures included parent and teacher ratings of problem behavior and s ocial skills, parent ratings of stress and family functioning, medical func tioning data, observations of parent-child interactions and classroom behav ior, and a test of preacademic skills. Results: Young children with ADHD ex hibited more problem behavior and were less socially skilled than their nor mal counterparts according to behavior ratings. Parents of children with AD HD experienced greater stress and were coping less adaptively than parents of non-ADHD children. Children with ADHD exhibited more noncompliant and in appropriate behavior than normal controls, particularly during task situati ons. Parents of children with ADHD were more likely to display negative beh avior toward their children. Children with ADHD exhibited more negative soc ial behavior in preschool settings and scored significantly lower on a test of preacademic skills. No significant differences in injuries or utilizati on of medical services were found. Conclusions: Preschool-age children with ADHD are at significant risk for behavioral, social, familial, and academi c difficulties relative to their normal counterparts.