[Intellectual status and factors influencing the intelligence in children with attention deficit and hyperactive disorder].

OBJECTIVES

To study the intellectual level and the factors influencing the intelligence in children aged 6-16 years with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 2 861 children who were diagnosed with ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition between October 2014 and September 2022 at Henan Children's Hospital. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition was used to assess the intellectual levels of the ADHD children. Based on intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, the intellectual levels were classified into five categories: borderline (70-79), low average (80-89), average (90-109), high average (110-119), and superior (≥120). The intellectual levels among the children of different genders, grades, and parental education levels were compared.

RESULTS

Among the 2 861 ADHD children, 569 (19.89%) were classified as borderline, 846 (29.57%) as low average, 1 304 (45.58%) as average, 111 (3.88%) as high average, and 31 (1.08%) as superior. The boys had lower scores in working memory, processing speed, and overall IQ than the girls (<0.05). There were significant differences in perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and overall IQ scores among different grade groups (<0.05). The scores in language comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and overall IQ were found to be associated with parental education level in ADHD children (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of ADHD children with low average and borderline intellectual levels is relatively high. The IQ level of ADHD children is influenced by gender, grade level and parental education level.