ADHD characteristics in Canadian Aboriginal children.

OBJECTIVE

The authors examine how many Aboriginal children attending two reservation-based elementary schools in Northern Alberta, Canada, would demonstrate symptoms associated with ADHD using standardized parent and teacher questionnaires.

METHOD: Seventy-five Aboriginal children in Grades 1 through 4 are tested. Seventeen of the 75 (22.7%) Aboriginal children demonstrated a match on parent and teacher forms, with T-scores greater than 1.5 standard deviations from the mean on the Conners' ADHD Index, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) Hyperactive/Impulsive Index, DSM-IV Inattentive Index, and/or DSM-IV Total Combined T-score.

RESULTS

The number of Aboriginal children found to have symptoms associated with ADHD is significantly higher than expected based on prevalence rates in the general population.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest either a high prevalence of ADHD in Aboriginal children or unique learning and behavioral patterns in Aboriginal children that may erroneously lead to a diagnosis of ADHD if screening questionnaires are used.