ERIC Number: EJ1007179
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Feb
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0890-8567
EISSN: N/A
Does Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predict Risk-Taking and Medical Illnesses in Adulthood?
Ramos Olazagasti, Maria A.; Klein, Rachel G.; Mannuzza, Salvatore; Belsky, Erica Roizen; Hutchison, Jesse A.; Lashua-Shriftman, Erin C.; Castellanos, F. Xavier
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, v52 n2 p153-162.e4 Feb 2013
Objective: To test whether children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), free of conduct disorder (CD) in childhood (mean = 8 years), have elevated risk-taking, accidents, and medical illnesses in adulthood (mean = 41 years); whether development of CD influences risk-taking during adulthood; and whether exposure to psychostimulants in childhood predicts cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized positive relationships between childhood ADHD and risky driving (in the past 5 years), risky sex (in the past year), and between risk-taking and medical conditions in adulthood; and that development of CD/antisocial personality (APD) would account for the link between ADHD and risk-taking. We report causes of death. Method: Prospective 33-year follow-up of 135 boys of white ethnicity with ADHD in childhood and without CD (probands), and 136 matched male comparison subjects without ADHD (comparison subjects; mean = 41 years), blindly interviewed by clinicians. Results: In adulthood, probands had relatively more risky driving, sexually transmitted disease, head injury, and emergency department admissions (p less than 0.05-0.01). Groups did not differ on other medical outcomes. Lifetime risk-taking was associated with negative health outcomes (p = 0.01-0.001). Development of CD/APD accounted for the relationship between ADHD and risk-taking. Probands without CD/APD did not differ from comparison subjects in lifetime risky behaviors. Psychostimulant treatment did not predict cardiac illness (p = 0.55). Probands had more deaths not related to specific medical conditions (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Overall, among children with ADHD, it is those who develop CD/APD who have elevated risky behaviors as adults. Over their lifetime, those who did not develop CD/APD did not differ from comparison subjects in risk-taking behaviors. Findings also provide support for long-term safety of early psychostimulant treatment. (Contains 3 figures and 9 tables.)
Descriptors: Accidents, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Children, Diseases, Head Injuries, Prediction, Risk, Adults, Behavior Disorders, Stimulants, Correlation, Motor Vehicles, Traffic Safety, Antisocial Behavior, Death, Whites, Males, Interviews, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Health, Safety, Drug Use
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A