Clinical characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: association with quality of life and behavioral aspects

OBJECTIVE: To identify associations between clinical characteristics of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their sociodemographic aspects, quality of life, and results from the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. METHODS: This is an observational analytical cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sample consisting of 72 children diagnosed with ADHD, aged 6 to 13 years, treated at 2 neuropediatric outpatient clinics. The instruments used were the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, version IV (MTA-SNAP-IV), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria (CCEB), and the Quality of Life Assessment Scale for Children and Adolescents (AUQEI). We performed descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, considering a 5% significance level. RESULTS: SDQ results were associated with abnormal MTA-SNAP-IV results (inattentive/hyperactive/combined). A 1-point increment in the SDQ score increased by 36.5% the likelihood of the child having an abnormal MTA-SNAP-IV classification. Regarding AUQEI, 30.6% of participants perceived their quality of life as poor and 69.4% as good. CONCLUSIONS: A higher SDQ score increased the child's chance of having an abnormal MTA-SNAP-IV result.