Objectives: Studies suggest that females with ADHD display more symptoms of anxiety and depression than their male counterparts. This study attempted to determine comorbid anxiety and depression in children with ADHD. Further, we aimed to establish whether there are sex and age differences in the expression of comorbid symptoms.

Method: The Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression scale from the Beck Youth Inventory were administered to 216 participants (108 with ADHD and 108 matched controls without ADHD symptoms). Participants included children aged 6 to 15 years, resident in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The groups were compared for comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms and analysed as a function of sex and age.

Results: The ADHD group showed significantly more symptoms of anxiety and depression than the neurotypical control group. However, no sex differences were observed in the expression of anxiety symptoms. Nonetheless, girls did show significantly higher levels of depression than boys. No age differences were detected in respect of anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion: Children with ADHD displayed more symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to controls without ADHD. Age and sex did not affect anxiety symptoms, however girls showed more symptoms of depression than boys.

目的：研究表明，患有多动症的女性比男性表现出更多的焦虑和抑郁症状。本研究试图确定 ADHD 儿童的共病焦虑和抑郁。此外，我们旨在确定共病症状的表达是否存在性别和年龄差异。

方法：对 216 名参与者（108 名患有 ADHD 和 108 名没有 ADHD 症状的匹配对照）使用来自贝克青年量表的贝克焦虑量表和贝克抑郁量表。参与者包括居住在南非林波波省的 6 至 15 岁儿童。比较这些组的共病焦虑和抑郁症状，并根据性别和年龄进行分析。

结果：多动症组表现出的焦虑和抑郁症状明显多于神经典型对照组。然而，在焦虑症状的表达中没有观察到性别差异。尽管如此，女孩确实表现出明显高于男孩的抑郁程度。在焦虑症状方面没有检测到年龄差异。

结论：与没有 ADHD 的对照组相比，患有 ADHD 的儿童表现出更多的焦虑和抑郁症状。年龄和性别不影响焦虑症状，但女孩比男孩表现出更多的抑郁症状。