One area of research within ADHD concerns developmental and dimensional aspects of symptoms and associated functions. Our research encompasses cross-sectional studies as well as longitudinal studies describing developmental functions and predictive relations. The dimensional perspective implicates studying not only clinical groups but also the symptom dimensions, i.e. inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, in community samples.

A core interest concerns mechanisms behind hyperactivity and attention problems, where we have focused on executive functions (EF), particularly inhibition and working memory. However, we have also included measures often considered as indicators of state regulation, and also in a few studies tests of delay aversion. Furthermore, we aim at evaluating the potential predictive value of tests of executive functioning in identifying preschool children at risk of developing clinically relevant ADHD symptoms later in childhood. We are also interested in the role of attachment and various psychosocial factors in the development of later ADHD.

As children with ADHD typically have problems also in other areas, such as aggressiveness and anxiety, our studies often evaluate these aspects as well as the core problems so that we can control for the comorbidity when evaluating the association between ADHD symptoms and other aspects of functioning (e.g. executive functions, peer relations).

Current interests, aside from the relation of ADHD symptoms to executive functions, are socio-emotional aspects such as the importance of ADHD symptoms and EF deficits for peer relations and self-confidence; the possibility to train executive functions and the possibility to thereby affect behaviour; the relation between ADHD symptoms and parent-child relationship, particularly in terms of attachment.