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Conduct problems, gender and adult psychiatric outcome of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark

PREBEN BO MORTENSEN, DMed Sci

National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Denmark

MORTEN FRYDENBERG, PhD

Department of Biostatistics, Aarhus University, Denmark

PER HOVE THOMSEN, DMed Sci

Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark

Correspondence: Søren Dalsgaard, Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Harald Selmersvej 66, 8240 Risskov, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. E-mail: sda{at}buh.aaa.dk

Declaration of interest None.

Supported by The Danish Medical Council Research Foundation, Fru Hermansens Mindelegat and Rosalie Petersen Foundation.

Background Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood condition, and is more prevalent in boys. The adult outcome of girls with ADHD has never been studied.

Aims To identify predictors for adult psychiatric outcome of children with ADHD, including gender and comorbidity.

Method Children aged 4-15 years, referred for hyperactivity/inattention and treated with stimulants were included (n=208). The Psychiatric Case Register provided follow-up data on psychiatric admissions in adulthood until a mean age of 31 years.

Results A total of 47 cases (22.6%) had a psychiatric admission in adulthood. Conduct problems in childhood were predictive (hazard ratio HR=2.3; 95% CI 1.22-4.33). Girls had a higher risk compared with boys (HR=2.4; 95% CI 1.1-5.6).

Conclusions Girls with ADHD had a higher risk of adult psychiatric admission than boys. Conduct problems were also associated with a higher risk. Girls with ADHD with conduct problems had a very high risk of a psychiatric admission in adulthood.

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