Presence Of Attention Defi cit Hyperactivity Disorder By Certain Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder usually diagnosed in children, with appearance of the fi rst symptoms before the age of seven years. Th e disorder is characterized by inattention and/or impulsivity and hyperactivity that can seriously affect many aspects of behavior and performance at school. Specifi c sociodemographic characteristics seem to contribute to the appearance of ADHD. Th e study was done on a sample of 400 schoolchildren. Presence of ADHD symptoms was estimated using the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, with teachers and parents as informants, and a specifi cally designed questionnaire for collecting socio-emographic data. Our results showed that Roma children signifi cantly more oft en had ADHD symptoms compared to other ethnicities. Bad living and material conditions were associated with a higher prevalence of ADHD. Th e relation between parents and children and parent’s attention and care also have a great infl uence on the occurrence of ADHD.