ADHD and Infant Disorganized Attachment

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether infant disorganized attachment predicts ADHD at school age. METHOD: A cohort of 53 children who had been identified as having significant levels of disorganized attachment in infancy is compared to a control group. Symptoms and signs of ADHD at age 7 are evaluated together with a range of relevant maternal variables. RESULTS: An association is found between infant disorganized attachment scores and teacher-rated symptoms of ADHD (but not ADHD caseness). Probable ADHD caseness in the child is associated with self-rated retrospective ADHD scores in mothers. Possible ADHD caseness is associated with a measure of unresolved mourning in mothers. Mother-rated ADHD in the child was associated with low overall maternal psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSION: The finding of a link between scores for disorganized attachment at 1 year and later teacher-rated symptoms of ADHD suggests the need for further studies.