Mood and anxiety disorders
Mood disorders (e.g. major depressive disorder, dysthymia and
bipolar disorder) and anxiety disorders (e.g. separation anxiety,
generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder) are also commonly
observed in children with ADHD. In a clinically referred sample
of 381 school age children with ADHD, 50% also had a mood
disorder, while 33% displayed anxiety disorders (Wilens et al.
2002). Treatment with stimulant medication may reduce the
risk of later development of mood and anxiety disorders
(Biederman et al. 2009). There is also evidence suggesting that
children displaying comorbid internalizing symptoms or anxiety show preferential response to behavioural interventions
(Jensen et al. 2001; van den Hoofdakker et al. 2007).