Functional Impairments in Adults With Self-Reports of Diagnosed ADHD: A Controlled Study of 1001 Adults in the Community
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate functional impairments in a nonreferred sample of adults identifying themselves as having been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by a clinician in their community. METHOD: We completed a survey in April and May 2003 of a community sample of 500 adults who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD in the community and 501 gender- and age-matched comparisons from a national sample representative of the U.S. population. RESULTS: Adults with self-reports of diagnosed ADHD in the community were significantly less likely to have graduated high school (83% vs. 93% of controls; p < or = .001) or obtain a college degree (19% vs. 26%; p < .01), were less likely to be currently employed (52% vs. 72%; p < or = .001), and had significantly more mean job changes over 10 years (5.4 vs. 3.4 jobs; p < or = .001). They also were significantly more likely to have been arrested (37% vs. 18% of controls; p < or = .001) or divorced (28% vs. 15%; p < or = .001) and were significantly less satisfied (p < or = .001) with their family, social, and professional lives. CONCLUSION: Adults who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD in the community had significant impairment in multiple domains of functioning compared with age- and gender-matched controls without this diagnosis, highly consistent with findings derived from carefully diagnosed referred samples.
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Executive function deficit is related to academic underachievement in children with ADHD and with academic and occupational difficulties in adults with ADHD.
“Executive function deficit is related to academic underachievement in children with ADHD,34 and with both academic and occupational difficulties in adults with ADHD.5”
From Exploratory meta-analysis on lisdexamfetamine versus placebo in adult ADHD (2014) · cites this paper as [5]
In a community sample of 1001 adults, those with ADHD were significantly more likely to have been divorced (28% vs 15% controls, P ≤ 0.001) and were significantly less satisfied with their personal, social and professional lives.
“in a community sample of 1001 adults, those with ADHD were significantly more likely to have been divorced (28% vs 15% controls, P ≤ 0.001) and were significantly less satisfied with their personal, social and professional lives [29]”
From Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical implications of a dimensional approach (2017) · cites this paper as [29]
Long-term follow-up, epidemiological, and clinical studies have shown that adults with untreated ADHD, compared to normal controls, experience higher rates of academic failure, low occupational status, increased risk of substance use disorders, accidents, and delinquency, and have fewer social relationships or friends.
“Long-term follow-up, epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that adults with untreated ADHD, when compared to normal controls, experience higher rates of academic failure, low occupational status, increased risk of substance use disorders (tobacco, alcohol or drugs), accidents and delinquency, and have fewer social relationships or friends [18,121,127,131,243,244].”
From European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD (2010) · cites this paper as [244]
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- Authors
- Biederman, J., Faraone, S. V., Spencer, T. J., Mick, E., Monuteaux, M. C., & Aleardi, M.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- SUNY Upstate Medical University (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc
- Published
- 2006-04-15
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 04
- Pages
- 524-540
- ISSN
- 0160-6689 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2064340252
- Cited by
- 565
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 47
- FWCI
- 18.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, functional disability, educational attainment, employment, job change, arrests, divorce, life satisfaction
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child Development, Data Collection, Divorce, Educational Status, Employment, Female, Humans, Male, Personality Inventory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Social Adjustment, Socialization, United States
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