A 17-year longitudinal study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev followed children from birth to adolescence to explore whether early-life factors can predict ADHD, and for whom the environment matters most.
Published in Infant and Child Development, the study tracked ~125 children and their parents, examining infant temperament, parental ADHD symptoms, and the richness of the early home environment.
The key finding: Early ‘risk factors” don’t affect all children equally.
Led by Profs. Andrea Berger and Judith G. Auerbach (BGU), together with Dr. Tzlil Einziger, the researchers found that infants showing high motor activity, especially those with parents who have elevated ADHD symptoms—were more sensitive to their environment.
For these children, a rich and supportive home environment strongly predicted better cognitive functioning by age 7, which in turn was linked to fewer ADHD symptoms in later childhood and adolescence. The same sensitivity meant they benefited most from supportive environments—and were more negatively affected by less enriching ones.
“There aren’t just ‘sensitive’ and ‘non-sensitive’ children,” explains Prof. Berger, “Sensitivity exists on a continuum, shaped by the interaction between child temperament and parental characteristics.”
“Understanding this can help tailor early environments to better support children who need it most,” concludes Prof. Auerbach.
Additional researchers included: Prof. Naama Atzaba-Poria, Drs. Rivka Landau, Shoshana Arbelle and Michael Karplus.
More information
Tzlil Einziger et al, Neonatal Surgency Moderates the Association Between the Home Environment and Executive Functions in Children With a Family History of ADHD, Infant and Child Development (2025). DOI: 10.1002/icd.70072
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