The development of ADHD boys: A 12-year follow-up.

12 yrs after initial assessment, 33 male attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Ss (aged 14.4–24.9 yrs) were compared with 52 normal controls. Controls (selected at follow-up) were sex-, SES-, language-, and age-matched. According to childhood scores from the IOWA Conners Teacher Rating Scale, 24 ADHD Ss were inattentive/overactive (IO) and 9 were aggressive plus inattentive/overactive (A–IO). Ss and parents were interviewed and Ss completed a battery of tests. Core deficits of the disorder persisted in more than half of the ADHD group. IO Ss did not differ significantly from the controls in psychiatric functioning, except for their persistent ADHD. A–IO Ss had received the most individual and residential treatment for their behavior problems. ADHD Ss experienced significantly more problems in high school and displayed significantly poorer spelling, arithmetic, and reading comprehension skills than did controls. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)