Assessment of prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among schoolchildren in selected schools

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Global impairment in children with ADHD increases with increasing number of concurrent disorders. The presence of ADHD in childhood increases the likelihood of additional difficulties in academic performance, social interactions, and low self-esteem developing into adolescents and young adults. AIMS: The study aims to (i) to determine the prevalence of ADHD among schoolchildren at selected schools in Kancheepuram district, (ii) to find the agreement between parent and teacher reports, and (iii) to associate the prevalence of ADHD among schoolchildren with their selected demographic variables. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A quantitative research approach with cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study focused on primary schoolchildren from the selected schools in Kancheepuram district. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Totally 3253 children aged between 8 and 11 years were enumerated from the selected six schools in Kancheepuram district after obtaining informed consent from their caregivers. The presence of ADHD was assessed using Conners’ Teacher–Parent Rating Scale given to caregivers and teachers and confirmed with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 criteria for ADHD. RESULTS: The analysis revealed the overall prevalence of ADHD to be 8.8%. The subtypes of ADHD were categorized as 124 (43.3%) for inattentive type, 124 (43.3%) for hyperactive type, and 38 (13.2%) for combined type of ADHD. CONCLUSION: The present study shows a high prevalence of ADHD among primary schoolchildren.