Examining ODD/ADHD Symptom Dimensions as Predictors of Social, Emotional, and Academic Trajectories in Middle Childhood

Abstract

The goal of this article is to investigate the symptom dimensions of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD; irritability, defiance) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity) as predictors of academic performance, depressive symptoms, and peer functioning in middle childhood. Children (N = 346; 51% female) were assessed via teacher-report on measures of ODD/ADHD symptoms at baseline (Grades K–2) and academic performance, depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and victimization on 7 occasions over 4 school years (K–2 through 3–5). Self-report and grade point average data collected in Grades 3–5 served as converging outcome measures. Latent growth curve and multiple regression models were estimated using a hierarchical/sensitivity approach to assess robustness and specificity of effects. Irritability predicted higher baseline depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and victimization, whereas defiance predicted higher baseline peer rejection; however, none of these ODD-related effects persisted 3 years later to Grades 3–5. In contrast, inattention predicted persistently poorer academic performance, persistently higher depressive symptoms, and higher baseline victimization; hyperactivity-impulsivity predicted subsequent peer rejection and victimization in Grades 3–5. In converging models, only inattention emerged as a robust predictor of 3-year outcomes (viz., grade point average, depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and relational victimization). Broadly, ODD dimensions—particularly irritability—may be linked to acute disturbances in social-emotional functioning in school-age children, whereas ADHD dimensions may predict more persistent patterns of peer, affective, and academic problems. By examining all 4 ODD/ADHD symptom dimensions simultaneously, the present analyses offer clarity and specificity regarding which dimensions affect what outcomes, and when. Findings underscore the importance of multidimensional approaches to research, assessment, and intervention.

Acknowledgments

We thank the students, teachers, staff, and administrators who participated in this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors report that they have no potential conflicts of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Notes

¹ We reestimated all major conditional and unconditional models with clustering specified at the first, last, and highest-ICC occasions. In virtually all cases, parameters of interest remained unchanged, or the changes were modest, inconsistent, or inconsequential for study results. Thus, sensitivity analyses support the robustness of the primary results reported here.

² Multicollinearity statistics vary depending on which predictors and participants are included in the model, but the outcome variable is not included in these calculations and thus can be interpreted similarly across all models. Tolerance and variance inflation factor estimates did not change appreciably when covariates (grade and gender) were included.

Additional information

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge support from the American Psychological Foundation (Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Fellowships, SCE and JLC), the University of Kansas (Lillian Jacobey Baur Early Childhood Fellowship, SCE; Doctoral Student Research Fund Awards, SCE and JBB; Pioneers Classes Dissertation Research Award, SCE; Faculty Research Fund Award, PJF), the National Institutes of Mental Health (T32 Training Fellowship MH015442, JLC), and AIM for Mental Health (AIM Clinical Science Fellowship, SCE).