Review of follow-up and follow-back studies of childhood hyperactivity

The outcome for children diagnosed as hyperactive is viewed as an important perspective in validating the disorder. Accordingly, a review of 17 follow-up and 7 follow-back studies is presented that assesses the available evidence relating to this issue. In follow-back studies, Ss were chosen and assessed on the basis of past information (i.e., a diagnosis of hyperactivity contained in medical records) that they were hyperactive in childhood. Methodological problems are identified and discussed. In particular, it is noted that all of the follow-up studies failed to use psychiatric controls; this makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the diagnostic validity of the concept of hyperactivity. Four of the follow-back studies did use psychiatric controls, but conclusions are limited by the atypical nature of their S groups. It has been demonstrated, however, that hyperactives in late adolescence and early adulthood, as compared with normal controls, experience difficulties in many areas of social functioning and personal well-being. (71 ref)