OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in high-IQ youths remains controversial.METHOD: To further explore the diagnostic validity of ADHD in this population, we studied two cohorts of high-IQ youths, both with and without ADHD, across a 4.5-year period.RESULTS: Compared to those without ADHD, high-IQ youths with ADHD had significantly higher rates of mood, anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorders at follow-up. In addition, ADHD status was a significant predictor for higher impairments across most social, academic, and family functional domains. Associations between baseline and follow-up IQ scores did not differ between groups. Syndromal persistence rates of ADHD were similar between high-IQ and average-IQ youths with ADHD.CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further support for the predictive validity of ADHD in high-IQ youths.
Achievement Adolescent