Six-year follow-up study of combined type ADHD from childhood to young adulthood: Predictors of functional impairment and comorbid symptoms

T Cadman; J Findon; H Eklund; H Hayward; D Howley; C Cheung; J Kuntsi; K Glaser; D Murphy; P Asherson

doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.08.007

Six-year follow-up study of combined type ADHD from childhood to young adulthood: Predictors of functional impairment and comorbid symptoms

Eur Psychiatry. 2016 May:35:47-54. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.08.007. Epub 2016 Apr 11.

Authors

T Cadman¹, J Findon², H Eklund², H Hayward², D Howley², C Cheung³, J Kuntsi³, K Glaser⁴, D Murphy², P Asherson³

Affiliations

¹ Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment and Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK. Electronic address: tim.cadman.12@ucl.ac.uk.
² Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment and Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK.
³ King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.

PMID: 27077377
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.08.007

Abstract

Background: ADHD in childhood is associated with development of negative psychosocial and behavioural outcomes in adults. Yet, relatively little is known about which childhood and adulthood factors are predictive of these outcomes and could be targets for effective interventions. To date follow-up studies have largely used clinical samples from the United States with children ascertained at baseline using broad criteria for ADHD including all clinical subtypes or the use of DSM III criteria.

Aims: To identify child and adult predictors of comorbid and psychosocial comorbid outcomes in ADHD in a UK sample of children with DSM-IV combined type ADHD.

Method: One hundred and eighteen adolescents and young adults diagnosed with DSM-IV combined type ADHD in childhood were followed for an average of 6years. Comorbid mental health problems, drug and alcohol use and police contact were compared for those with persistent ADHD, sub-threshold ADHD and population norms taken from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Study 2007. Predictors included ADHD symptomology and gender.

Results: Persistent ADHD was associated with greater levels of anger, fatigue, sleep problems and anxiety compared to sub-threshold ADHD. Comorbid mental health problems were predicted by current symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not by childhood ADHD severity. Both persistent and sub-threshold ADHD was associated with higher levels of drug use and police contact compared to population norms.

Conclusions: Young adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD showed increased rates of comorbid mental health problems, which were predicted by current levels of ADHD symptoms. This suggests the importance of the continuing treatment of ADHD throughout the transitional years and into adulthood. Drug use and police contact were more common in ADHD but were not predicted by ADHD severity in this sample.

Keywords: ADHD; Behavioural problems; Comorbidity; Follow-up.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
Child
Comorbidity
Depression / epidemiology
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Health Status*
Humans
Impulsive Behavior
Male
Mental Health*
Quality of Life
Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology
Young Adult

Abstract

MeSH terms

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