ADHD and epilepsy: Contributions from the use of behavioral rating scales to investigate psychiatric comorbidities

Abstract Children with epilepsy have a high incidence of psychiatric comorbidities, especially attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This observational cross-sectional study investigated the presence of ADHD in 30 children with idiopathic epilepsy. The Brazilian versions of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Teacher Report Form (TRF), and the MTA-SNAP-IV questionnaire were used to assess comorbid psychiatric conditions. ADHD diagnosis was confirmed in 53.3% of children. The combined type was the most prevalent (43.7%), followed by the hyperactive–impulsive (37.5%) and inattentive (18.7%) types. Scores above the cutoff point on these scales were strongly correlated with the presence of ADHD. The high prevalence of ADHD in association with other psychiatric comorbidities in children with epilepsy justifies the use of behavioral rating scales as screening tests.