Conscientiousness as a mediator of the association between masculinized finger-length ratios and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Open accessAbstract
Background: One often‐overlooked biological risk factor that may help explain sex‐biased prevalence rates in psychopathology is sex hormones. Personality traits, which also show sex differences, may mediate relations between biological risk factors like hormones and childhood psychopathology such as ADHD (or, alternatively, be independent risk factors). Methods: Three hundred and twelve children/adolescents (178 boys, 134 girls) between the ages of 8 and 17 completed a comprehensive, multistage, clinical diagnostic procedure; 168 children were diagnosed with ADHD and 144 were classified as non‐ADHD comparison controls. Primary caregivers completed the California Q‐sort in order to provide a measure of conscientiousness. Finger‐length ratios (specifically right 2D:4D) served as a proxy of prenatal testosterone exposure (relative to estrogen). Results: Lower levels of conscientiousness statistically mediated the relationship between more masculine right 2D:4D (i.e., increased prenatal testosterone exposure) and increased ADHD inattentive symptoms. Conclusion: More masculinized finger‐length ratios show associations with ADHD symptoms, possibly acting through the trait mechanism of conscientiousness.
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Prior research indicates that organizational testosterone contributes to ADHD symptoms in both sexes, especially in males.
“Prior work suggests a role for organizational testosterone (T) in ADHD symptoms in both sexes (Wang et al., 2017), but particularly males (Martel, 2009; McFadden et al., 2005).”
From Reproductive steroids and ADHD symptoms across the menstrual cycle (2018) · cites this paper as Martel, 2009
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- Authors
- Martel, M. M.
- Affiliations
- LSU New Orleans (US)
- Corresponding author
- Martel, Michelle M.
- ORCID
- Martel, Michelle M.
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-06-12
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 790-798
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- PMC
- PMC4311552
- OpenAlex
- W2015689820
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH63146, R21MH070542, MH59105, F31MH075533, MH70542, R01MH063146, R01MH059105)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- conscientiousness, finger length ratio, 2D:4D digit ratio, prenatal testosterone exposure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, inattentive symptoms, personality traits, mediation, children and adolescents
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Analysis of Variance, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Body Weights and Measures, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Fingers, Humans, Internal-External Control, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Risk Factors, Sex Characteristics, Sex Factors, Temperament, Testosterone
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