The Unique Contribution of Emotional Impulsiveness to Impairment in Major Life Activities in Hyperactive Children as Adults
Abstract
Objective Emotional impulsiveness (EI) may be a central feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) contributing impairment beyond the two ADHD dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.Method We evaluated EI in hyperactive (N = 135) and control (N = 75) children followed to adulthood (mean age 27 years). The hyperactive cases were subdivided into those individuals whose ADHD persisted (ADHD-P) and did not persist (ADHD-NP) to adulthood. We examined the additional contribution of EI apart from ADHD symptoms to global ratings of impairment in 10 major life activities, adverse occupational and educational outcomes, criminal and driving outcomes, and money management difficulties at ages 21 and 27.Results The ADHD-P group reported more EI symptoms than either the ADHD-NP or community control groups. EI uniquely contributed to seven of 10 major life domains and to overall impairment beyond ADHD symptoms. Severity of EI uniquely contributed to numerous impairments in occupational, educational, criminal, driving, and financial outcomes beyond ADHD symptoms.Conclusions EI is as much a component of ADHD as are its two traditional dimensions and is associated with impairments beyond those contributed by the two traditional dimensions.
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ADHD with ED is associated with more severe academic dysfunction.
“more severe academic (8)”
From Abnormal functional connectivity associated with emotional dysregulation in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2025) · cites this paper as [8]
Daily mood changes in ADHD are very common and represent a poorly regulated but essentially normal range of moods rather than the more severe extremes of depression and elation seen in bipolar disorder; chronic mood instability should be considered part of the core syndrome of ADHD.
“Furthermore daily mood changes in ADHD are very common, and represent a poorly regulated but essentially normal range of moods, rather than the more severe extremes of depression and elation seen in bipolar disorder; and it is argued that chronic mood instability should be considered part of the core syndrome of ADHD [118,175,231].”
From European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD (2010) · cites this paper as [231]
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- Authors
- Barkley, R. A., & Fischer, M.
- Affiliations
- Medical University of South Carolina (US)
- Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
- Corresponding author
- Barkley, Russell A.
- Venue
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-05
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 503-513
- ISSN
- 0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1978693046
- Cited by
- 479
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 73 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 15.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH042181, MH42181)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperactive children, persistent ADHD, major life activities, functional disability, occupational outcomes, educational outcomes, financial management
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Affective Symptoms, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Automobile Driving, Child, Emotions, Humans, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Quality of Life, Young Adult, Criminals
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