Comorbidity of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Low Income Urban Youth

by Laslie, Karen Ann

Chronic exposure to violence is becoming increasingly common for urban children, placing them at an increased risk of developing psychopathology. For children exposed to chronic violence, two common diagnoses are Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, symptom overlap between these disorders has made differential diagnosis difficult. Most studies looking at the comorbidity between ADHD and PTSD have focused only on maltreated children. This study is the first to look at comorbid rates of ADHD and PTSD for children exposed to chronic violence, not limited to maltreatment. Specifically, this study evaluated rates of PTSD symptoms in children with and without ADHD. Contrary to the hypothesis, children diagnosed with ADHD were not significantly more likely to meet criteria for PTSD nor did they exhibit more symptoms of PTSD than children without ADHD.