Five‐year outcomes of ADHD diagnosed in adulthood

Bibliographic Data

ID21391797
AuthorsElin Nylander (0000-0003-2966-919X, Department of Psychology University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, corresponding author), Orestis Floros (ADHD Unit Sankt Görans Hospital Stockholm Sweden), Timea Sparding (Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden), Eleonore Rydén (Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden), Stefan Hansen (Department of Psychology University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden), Michael Landen (0000-0002-4496-6451, Karolinska Institutet), Mikael Landén (Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden)
Year2021
Volume62
Issue1
Pages13-24
Publication date2021-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueScandinavian Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0036-5564 • E-ISSN: 1467-9450
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/sjop.12692
PMID33216369
OpenAlexW3105421694
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited71

There is a dearth of long‐term follow‐up studies of adults diagnosed with ADHD. Here, the aim was to evaluate long‐term outcomes in a group of ADHD patients diagnosed in adulthood and receiving routine psychiatric health care. Adults diagnosed with any type of ADHD ( n = 52) and healthy controls ( n = 73) were assessed at baseline and at a 5‐year follow‐up, using Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Brown ADD Scale (BADDS) and Adult ADHD Self‐Report Scale (ASRS). A multivariate regression method was used to identify factors predicting 5‐year outcomes, including baseline ratings, medication intensity, comorbidity, intelligence quotient (IQ), age, and sex. After 5 years, ADHD patients reported fewer and/or less severe symptoms compared to baseline, but remained at clinically significant symptom levels and with functional deficits. Baseline self‐reports of ADHD symptoms predicted their own 5‐year outcome and low baseline functioning level predicted improved global functioning at follow‐up. Factors previously reported to predict short‐term outcomes (i.e., medication, comorbidity, IQ, age, and sex) did not anticipate long‐term outcomes in present study

Clinical Global Impression · Cognition · Comorbidity · Developmental psychology · Global Assessment of Functioning · Psychiatry · Young adult · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder · Clinical Psychology · Functional Brain Connectivity Studies · Medicine · Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies · Psychology