Diagnostic Stability Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Young Children: Predictors of

abstract OBJECTIVES: The goals of this study were (1) to provide estimates ofdiagnostic stability for a sample of young children diagnosed withattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after undergoing com-prehensive multidisciplinary assessments and (2) to identify baselinechild and family characteristics that predict diagnostic stability overtime.METHODS: Children aged 3 to 6 years, 11 months consecutively diag-nosedwithADHDaftermultidisciplinaryconsultationsatatertiarycareclinic between 2003 and 2008 were recontacted in 2012 and 2013 (N =120). At follow-up, the primary outcome was the proportion ofchildren who continued to meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Toidentify predictors of diagnostic stability, logistic regression modelswere used.In addition, a latent classmodel was used to independentlyclassify subjects into distinct clusters.RESULTS: In this cohort, 70.4% of the children contacted at follow-up continued to meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Predictors ofdiagnostic stability included externalizing and internalizing symptomsat baseline, parental history of psychopathology, and familysocioeconomic status. The latent class model independently identi fied3distinctprofiles: (1) children who no longer met ADHD criteria; (2)children with persistent ADHD and high parental psychopathology; and(3)childrenwithpersistentADHDand low family socioeconomic status.CONCLUSIONS: Young children who underwent comprehensive devel-opmental and psychological assessments before receiving an ADHDdiagnosis, had higher rates of diagnostic stability than in previousstudies of community samples. Child and family factors that predictdiagnostic stability have the potential to guide treatment planningfor children diagnosed with ADHD before 7 years of age. Pediatrics2014;133:659–667