Aggression in children with ADHD: a comparison between specific profiles

Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent difficulties in sustaining attention and/or impulsiveness and excessive motor activity, have been found to show poor social functioning and their social behaviors seem characterized by high level of aggression. Aggression is defined as any behavior whose purpose is to cause harm to another person who does not want to be harmed. In particular, proactive aggression refers to planned acts of aggression carried out in order to obtain a reward, while reactive aggression comprises impulsive acts of aggression in response to perceived or real threats. This study aims at exploring the relationship between ADHD and aggression. Specifically, the research focuses on investigating whether there are significant gender differences in aggression among children with ADHD, and whether that aggression can be categorized as proactive or reactive. Both questionnaires and computerized tests have been used to assess the level of aggression of four children, two diagnosed with ADHD and two with typical development. They had previously been paired on the basis of gender, age, and intelligent quotient (IQ) level, in order to avoid that the reason for different scores could be attributed to these variables. The results and clinical implications are discussed.