Objective Whether and to what extent racial/ethnic disparities inattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis occur across early and middle childhood is currently unknown. We examined the over-time dynamics of race/ethnic disparities in diagnosis from kindergarten to eighth grade and disparities in treatment in fifth and eighth grade. Methods Analyses of the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (N = 17 100)using discrete-time hazard modeling. Results Minority children were less likely than white children to receive an ADHD diagnosis. With time-invariant and -varying confounding factors statistically controlled the odds of ADHD diagnosis for African Americans, Hispanics, and children of other races/ethnicities were 69% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60%–76%), 50% (95% CI: 34%–62%), and 46% (95% CI: 26%–61%) lower, respectively, than for whites. Factors increasing children’s risk of an ADHD diagnosis included being a boy,being raised by an older mother, being raised in an English-speaking household, and engaging in externalizing problem behaviors. Factors decreasing children’s risk of an ADHD diagnosis included engaging in learning-related behaviors (eg, being attentive), displaying greater academic achievement, and not having health insurance. Among children diagnosed with ADHD, racial/ethnic minorities were less likely than whites to be taking prescription medication for the disorder. Conclusions Racial/ethnic disparities in ADHD diagnosis occur by kindergarten and continue until at least the end of eighth grade. Measured confounding factors do not explain racial/ethnic disparities in ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Culturally sensitive monitoring should be intensified to ensure that all children are appropriately screened, diagnosed,and treated for ADHD.

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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in ADHD Diagnosis from Kindergarten to Eighth Grade.

In the wake of violence and unrest in communities around the United States, it is critical for scholars and practitioners to examine and continue to address the factors that might instigate race-ba...

Closing the School Discipline Gap: Equitable Remedies for Excessive Exclusion.

The high prevalence and psychological impact of childhood exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTE) is a major public health concern in the United States. Considerable evidence has demonstrated the significant racial disparities that exist with respect to PTE exposure, indicating that Black youth are particularly burdened by these harmful experiences. Racism may serve a unique role in explaining why Black youth are disproportionately exposed to PTEs, and why mental health disparities are more likely to occur following such experiences. Despite clear evidence acknowledging racism as a major life stressor for Black youth, theoretical models of early childhood adversity have largely neglected the multifaceted influence of racism on mental health outcomes. Inspired by bourgeoning literature highlighting the potentially traumatic nature of racism-related experiences for Black youth, we present a culturally-informed Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) model, or “C-ACE”, to understand the pervasive and deleterious mental health impact of racism on Black youth. This model extends the ACE framework by noting the significance of racism as an ACE exposure risk factor, a distinct ACE category, and a determinant of post-ACE mental health outcomes among Black youth. The model acknowledges and supports the advancement of ACEs research that takes a culturally informed approach to understanding the intergenerational and multilevel impact of racism on the mental health of Black youth. Future research utilizing the proposed C-ACE model is essential for informing clinical and public health initiatives centered on reducing the mental health impact of racism-related experiences and health disparities in the United States.

Making the “C-ACE” for a Culturally-Informed Adverse Childhood Experiences Framework to Understand the Pervasive Mental Health Impact of Racism on Black Youth

An Anti-Racist Approach to Achieving Mental Health Equity in Clinical Care.

https://escholarship.org/content/qt2rd8m2v3/qt2rd8m2v3.pdf?t=qooge2

Inaction Is Not an Option: Using Antiracism Approaches to Address Health Inequities and Racism and Respond to Current Challenges Affecting Youth.

Diagnostic evaluation of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents relies in part on subjective interpretations of information from a clinician. Clinicians must interpret and contextualize information obtained from family, caregivers, and educators in order to assign an appropriate diagnosis. However, environmental and sociocultural influences can make the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders challenging, and appreciating these influences should be a priority in academic psychiatry. This can be particularly true for the provision of a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), and attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as diagnosing these complex conditions can be nuanced. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that when compared to non-Hispanic white youth, some ethnic and racial minority youth are more likely to receive a diagnosis of a disruptive behavior disorder and are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD [1–8]. When controlling for confounding variables such as adverse childhood experiences, prior juvenile offenses, genetics, and sociodemographics, these diagnostic and treatment disparities remain [6–8]. Although the cause of these diagnostic disparities is multifactorial, there is concern that unconscious biases may play a role in diagnostic decision-making. As a result of these biases, psychiatrists and trainees may judge and interpret behaviors seen in ODD, CD, and ADHD differently based on race or ethnicity, putting vulnerable populations at risk [5, 9]. Additionally, the current standard of practice is to routinely consider a broad differential of comorbid disorders when youth exhibit disruptive symptoms; however, biases may lead clinicians less likely to explore these potential explanations for behavior [10–12]. When a diagnosis of a disruptive behavior disorder is provided in place of ADHD (or ADHD is not included as a concurrent diagnosis), there are significant clinical implications, as this can limit access to medications, therapy, and other supportive services. This lack of services can put ethnic and racial minority children at risk for perpetuating the disparities which currently exist in the medical, educational, and juvenile justice systems. Recognizing the magnitude of this concern, this commentary reviews how unconscious bias can lead to diagnostic disparities in the assessment of disruptive behavior disorders and ADHD, the implications that these biases can have on ethnic and racial minority youth, and how this challenging clinical topic should be addressed in academic psychiatry.

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Unconscious Bias and the Diagnosis of Disruptive Behavior Disorders and ADHD in African American and Hispanic Youth.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related public health efforts limiting in-person social interactions present unique challenges to adolescents. Social media, which is widely used by adolescents, presents an opportunity to counteract these challenges and promote adolescent health and public health activism. However, public health organizations and officials underuse social media to communicate with adolescents. Using well-established risk communication strategies and insights from adolescent development and human-computer interaction literature, we identify current efforts and gaps, and propose recommendations to advance the use of social media risk communication for adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and future disasters.

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Kunmi Sobowale

Papers

Unconscious Bias and the Diagnosis of Disruptive Behavior Disorders and ADHD in African American and Hispanic Youth.

Real Time Communication: Creating a Path to COVID-19 Public Health Activism in Adolescents Using Social Media

Diaper Need Is Associated with Pediatric Care Use: An Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample of Parents of Young Children.