Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:825-827
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Adult psychiatric disorders in parents of hyperactive children
J Morrison
The family histories of 140 children and adolescents with hyperactive child
syndrome were compared with the family histories of 91 psychiatrically ill,
age- and sex-matched patients who had a primary diagnosis other than
hyperactive child syndrome. Parents of hyperactive children were more
likely to have antisocial personality and Briquet's syndrome (hysteria)
than were parents of nonhyperactive children; 11% of the hyperactive
children had a parent with such a diagnosis. Parents of nonhyperactive
children were more likely to have endogenous psychosis. The diagnosis of
alcoholism did not significantly differentiate parents of the two groups of
probands. These data support earlier studies and suggest a specific
association between hyperactive child syndrome and the personality
disorders of antisocial personality and hysteria.
