Abstract
Personality traits may be viable candidates for mediators of the relationship between genetic risk and ADHD. Participants were 578 children (331 boys; 320 children with ADHD) between the ages of six and 18. Parents and teachers completed a comprehensive, multistagediagnostic procedure to assess ADHD and comorbid disorders. Mother completed the California Q-Sort to assess child Big Five personality traits. Children provided buccal samples of DNA which were assayed for selected markers on DRD4, DAT1, and ADRA2A. An additive genetic risk composite was associated with ADHD symptoms and maladaptive personality traits; maladaptive personality traits were associated with ADHD symptoms. Low conscientiousness and high neuroticism partially mediated the relationship between genetic risk and ADHD symptoms. Mediation effects for conscientiousness were specific to inattentive symptoms; effects for neuroticism generalized to all disruptive behaviors. High neuroticism and low conscientiousness may be useful as early markers for children at risk for ADHD.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 633-643 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2010 |
Keywords
- ADHD
- Disruptive behaviors
- Genetics
- Personality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health