Multi-rater developmental trajectories of hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention symptoms from 1.5 to 17 years: a population-based birth cohort study

The developmental course of hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention symptoms from infancy to adolescence has not been documented in a population sample. The aim of this study was to describe the developmental course of hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention symptoms from 1.5 to 17 years using multiple informants, and to identify perinatal risk factors associated with following elevated (high-risk) trajectories. Using a population-based birth cohort (n = 1374), symptom ratings from mothers (1.5–8 years), teachers (6–13 years) and participant self-reports (10–17 years) were combined using group-based multi-trajectory modeling to identify informants’ convergence in identifying high-symptom trajectories of hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention over time. Perinatal risk factors associated with high-symptom trajectories were identified using stepwise logistic regression. The study found that symptoms of hyperactivity–impulsivity broadly declined from 1.5 to 17 years while symptoms of inattention remained constant. 21.4% of participants followed elevated trajectories of hyperactivity–impulsivity and 20.2% followed elevated trajectories of inattention; 11.6% followed elevated trajectories of both types of symptoms concurrently. Risk factors for high-risk trajectories of hyperactivity–impulsivity were low maternal education, prenatal alcohol exposure, non-intact family, maternal depression, and low child IQ; for high-risk inattention they were prenatal street drug exposure, early motherhood, low maternal education, maternal depression and low child IQ. Risk factors for trajectories of high-risk hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention concurrently were low maternal education, maternal depression, and low child IQ. The combination of longitudinal assessments from multiple informants (i.e., mother, teacher, participant-reports) provides a new way to characterize hyperactivity–impulsivity and inattention phenotypes over time. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00787-018-1258-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.