Hyperactivity in preschoolers: Correlates and prognostic implications

Abstract

Hyperactivity typically is apparent in early childhood, although it rarely comes to professional attention prior to school entry. However, an understanding of its early manifestations and developmental course has obvious theoretical and clinical importance. A clinical description of the hyperactive preschooler is provided, followed by a discussion of the definitional and diagnostic problems involved in determining when overactivity, impulsivity, and inattention reflect an exaggeration of age-appropriate behavior or a clinically significant disorder. Studies that contribute to a description of the early history, family correlates, and cognitive and social behavior of hyperactive preschoolers are then reviewed; treatment and follow-up studies are also examined. In view of the paucity of studies that specifically consider hyperactivity in preschoolers, it is necessary to extrapolate from studies of nonclinical samples of preschoolers, from studies of less specifically defined clinical groups, and from studies of school-aged hyperactive children. Finally, several directions for research on hyperactive preschoolers are proposed.