Establishing a link between attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and childhood physical abuse
Abstract
Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADD/ADHD) are found in approximately 5% to 10% of school-aged children. This study examined whether childhood physical abuse was associated with ADD/ADHD. Data were derived from a population-based sample of 13,054 adults from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey. We used logistical regression analysis in 2 models, both of which had ADD/ADHD as the criterion variable. There were 7 times higher odds of ADD/ADHD among those who reported they had been abused after controlling for several potential mediating factors, including age, race, gender, and 3 other types of adverse childhood experiences (parental divorce, parental addictions, and long-term parental unemployment) in comparison to those who were not abused. The results of this analysis show a strong link between childhood abuse and ADD/ADHD, an association that requires further study.
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Childhood maltreatment substantially increases the risk of developing neuropsychiatric conditions in adulthood, including anxiety and mood disorders.
“Childhood maltreatment is known to substantially increase the risk of developing neuropsychiatric conditions in adulthood, including anxiety and mood disorders (1–3).”
From Perineuronal nets, inhibitory interneurons and anxiety-related ventral hippocampal neuronal oscillations are altered by early life adversity (2019) · cites this paper as [2]
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- Authors
- Fuller-Thomson, E., Mehta, R., & Valeo, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Toronto Metropolitan University (CA)
- ORCID
- Mehta, Rukshan
- Venue
- Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-02-07
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 188-198
- ISSN
- 1092-6771 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-083X
- OpenAlex
- W2086958356
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 7.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, child physical abuse, adverse childhood experiences, parental divorce, parental addiction, parental unemployment, child abuse
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