Sex differences in ADHD symptom severity

• DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12337
• Publication Date: 2014-10-04T05:10:29Z
• Authors: Anne B. Arnett; Bruce F. Pennington; Erik G. Willcutt; John C. DeFries; Richard K. Olson
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Adolescent; Endophenotypes; Severity of Illness Index; 3. Good health; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Sex Factors; 0302 clinical medicine; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Diseases in Twins; Humans; Female; Child; 10. No inequality

Males show higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than do females. Potential explanations include genuine etiological differences or artifact.2,332 twin and sibling youth participated in behavioral cognitive testing. Partially competing models symptom severity distribution differences, the mean difference, variance difference models, were tested within a randomly selected subsample. The Delta method was used to test for mediation sex ADHD by processing speed, inhibition working memory.The combined fully explained severity. Cognitive endophenotypes mediated 14% effect.The is valid may be due differing genetic liabilities between sexes.