Developmental Psychopathology of ADHD

Abstract

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), formerly regarded as a typical disorder of childhood, has recently been conceptualized as a disorder persisting across the lifespan.With an onset during preschool age, symptoms vary according to developmental phase investigated. From the perspective of developmental psychopathology, a model is introduced that comprises both the stability and variability of ADHD symptoms and of concurrent comorbidity across the lifespan. Based on a genetic vulnerability and associated neuropsychological dysfunction, developmental factors shape the quality and intensity of symptoms across childhood, adolescence and adulthood. These age-dependent differences in clinical expression have major implications for clinical assessment and intervention as well as for future research strategies.