Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Prevalence among Students aged 7-12 Years Old

Background: ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a developmental disorder characterized by inattention and distractibility, as well as hyperactivity. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of ADHD in male and female students of primary school in Babol (Iran). Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. The studied population was school-aged children (7-12 years old) in the urban areas of Babol city. A total of 1469 primary school students were included in the study during 2021-2022. In this research, the Revised Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRSR) was used to investigate ADHD disorder. Results: The prevalence of ADHD in the present study was 9.9% (146 people). ADHD subgroups, in the order of prevalence, included mixed type (67 people, 4.6%), hyperactivity-impulsive type (43 people, 2.9%), and then inattentive type (36 people, 2.5%). ADHD prevalence among males and females was 13.4% and 7%, respectively. This was 1.9 times higher in male students than in female students. ADHD subgroups in male students, in order of prevalence, included mixed type (44 people, 50%), impulsive hyperactivity type (32 people, 36.36%), and inattentive type (12 people, 13.63%), and in female students, ADHD subgroups were inattentive type (24 people, 41.37%), mixed type (23 people, 39.65%), and hyperactivityimpulsive type (11 people, 18.96%). ADHD was seen mostly in students with illiterate parents (p≤0.001). Conclusion: It seems that the prevalence of ADHD in children of elementary schools in Babol was not significantly different from the prevalence reported in other cities of Iran and globally.