"[T]he predominantly inattentive type is the most common subtype..."

[Retromancer]

The most interesting sentence in the abstract of this 'meta study' -- at least to me -- is in the middle of the paragraph:

Analyses of diagnostic subtypes indicated that the predominantly inattentive type is the most common subtype in the population, but individuals with the combined type are more likely to be referred for clinical services.

Hmm that's interesting. If the 'predominantly inattentive' subtype is the most common one why is there so little written about it and where does the assumption that the most prevalent form of AD(H)D is the combined one come from?

The Prevalence of DSM-IV Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review.

[SquarePeg]

Maybe because hyperactivity causes more problems at school and is noticed more easily. Disruptive behaviour is sometimes the only thing that prompts parents or teachers to make further investigations.

Who notices the child sitting quietly in the corner daydreaming?

[sarek]

I believe it is because it has never been properly researched from this particular angle before.
If its easier to pick up and subsequently refer a case of combined type ADD than that will undoubtedly 'colour' the statistics.

[peripatetic]

i've found stats that said combined is 70, PI is 28 and h/i is 2....but don't recalll which post i put that link in on which thread where...

so's this mean you're ready to quit ******** about being some underserved/oppressed minority and relinquish your special section?

[Retromancer]

When the popular literature and community opinion finally match the reality of the data, most definitely. Until then the "primarily inattentive" remain an oppressed majority in the world of AD(H)D.

Originally Posted by peripatetic

i've found stats that said combined is 70, PI is 28 and h/i is 2....but don't recalll which post i put that link in on which thread where...

so's this mean you're ready to quit ******** about being some underserved/oppressed minority and relinquish your special section?

[peripatetic]

a lot of women seem to think it's adhd in women taht's the minority or ...which ...i can't relate for obvious reasons.

well...guess it's a moot point since you're combined

but if we're going by community opinion...

you know, i think what's more telling is what community reports....and given number of adult diagnoses, the underrepresented on here are probably the childhood diagnosed combined girls...and maybe childhood diagnosed PI boys.

i also see far more people WITH comorbids than not..though that's on here and, i believe supported by research

and as far as being "oppressed"....PI has its own little section...and wouldn't you think that oppression would be "institutional"? because PI seems far LESS likely to lend self to all the things that get people hated and berated and stalked ....and...seem less inclined to be in violation

[peripatetic]

Originally Posted by Retromancer

When the popular literature and community opinion finally match the reality of the data, most definitely. Until then the "primarily inattentive" remain an oppressed majority in the world of AD(H)D.

did you copy that from bean's one post? i swear...if that's not verbatim...well.

oh! no...i think she said combined are the ignored majority...which is kinda true. you...well...not YOU actually...but PI...though...the section's called inattentive...and...we all are...

anyway...pi has a section...and there's a lot of talk about "hypers"...becauase apparently peple like to talk about mythical creatures...or maybe that's just to counterpose ....

i don't konw...but it's like PI are the only one with inattentive symptoms....and then there are these supposed "hypers"...that, strictly speaking...that's not an existent subtpe...even H/I isn't "hyper"...it's hyper/impulsive...

and combined is like the forgotten and that's the problem of acting like the two sets ofcriteria are somehow you're only one or the other...which is ******* baffling given these socalled hypers...that's not a subtype...but the closest to it would be primarily H/I...now that's the real minority...becauae that's statistically quite rare...despite the mischaracterizatino of people as "hypers"....which often feels like a slur PI s use to belittle combined types.

[Retromancer]

Pick your circle of AD(H)D hell I guess. I got assigned to the one where you are left to quietly rot for years in a depressive haze, just aware enough -- and bright enough -- to know how thoroughly you have been screwed.

Originally Posted by peripatetic

and as far as being "oppressed"....PI has its own little section...and wouldn't you think that oppression would be "institutional"? because PI seems far LESS likely to lend self to all the things that get people hated and berated and stalked ....and...seem less inclined to be in violation

[sarahsweets]

I'm terren


Yerrke










I'm terrible with info like this so maybe some can dumb it down for me or correct me ...does it mean that combined doesn't really create an adult problem or pi tends to out weigh the combined? I'm not trying to sound stupid I just wanted to understand before I comment.

Yam.
Thanks

[Soliloquy]

IMHO, the ADD alone is perceived as something behavioral and within the individual's control. Co-morbidity somehow buys it more credibility. Sad, but seems true.

[TygerSan]

My understanding from looking at the literature is that the majority of researchers so far tend to look at people diagnosed with one subtype to the exclusion of others. Generally the focus has been on combined type (at least historically)

It is also my understanding that many of the leading practitioners don't really think the subtypes match real life very much. I'm kinda wondering if the quote used to start this thread was taken from an advocate or researcher who doesn't agree with the dsm's proposed reclassification of ADHD.

[Retromancer]

Analyses of diagnostic subtypes indicated that the predominantly inattentive type is the most common subtype in the population, but individuals with the combined type are more likely to be referred for clinical services.

Originally Posted by TygerSan

. I'm kinda wondering if the quote used to start this thread was taken from an advocate or researcher who doesn't agree with the dsm's proposed reclassification of ADHD.

[Dizfriz]

I found the original paper for those who might be interested.

It is accessible here:

http://psych.colorado.edu/~willcutt/prev.htm


Dizfriz

[Sandy4957]

I know one member of this forum who may qualify as purely hyperactive/impulsive. He literally bounces off of walls...

But there are still some inattentive symptoms. Give him a mindless task that should be easy and quick to complete, but is an absolute MUST for his work, and he could NOT do it. It was amazing to watch. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many GOOD tricks were employed to try to get him to do these tasks, he just could NOT do them anymore.

But I chalk that one up to other things that were going on. He pretty clearly had PTSD, and his inability to do the the mindless tasks had tapped into that in a big way...

Take that one "inattentive" component from his life (and it was a big component, because it cost him his livelihood), he was hyperactive from day one, hour one, minute one, second one, until he would finally collapse at whatever late-night time he did, and it was HUGELY disabling for him, sadly, because he is a wonderful and kind human being, but those traits cost him his marriage, his livelihood, everything that helped him to identify himself in his life. And he's completely rebuilding today, from the ground up...

[namazu]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

...does it mean that combined doesn't really create an adult problem or pi tends to out weigh the combined? I'm not trying to sound stupid I just wanted to understand before I comment.

Both combined and PI can and do create adult problems.

If you were to take a big sample of the whole population and screen them all for ADHD, more people would meet the criteria for ADHD-PI than for ADHD-C.

However, more people with ADHD-C end up seeing a mental health professional.



(At least, that's how I understand Retro's summary/excerpt of this paper that I haven't actually read yet. If I have a chance to read it I'll try to report back with some more nuanced analysis...there are lots of issues here about how you define the subtypes and diagnose people that probably make it more complicated.)