Persistence of ADHD into adulthood is an important predictor of car
crash risk

Date:
August 18, 2020
Source:
Elsevier
Summary:
A new study reports that the risk of being involved in car crashes
increases for those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). The study looked specifically at the rate of car
crashes by adulthood, which was 1.45 times higher in those with
a childhood history of ADHD compared to adults with no ADHD.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study reports that the risk of being involved in car crashes
increases for those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). The study in the Journal of the American Academy
of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier,
looked specifically at the rate of car crashes by adulthood, which was
1.45 times higher in those with a childhood history of ADHD compared to
adults with no ADHD.


==========================================================================
The authors also found that children whose ADHD symptoms have decreased
by adulthood have no increased risk for car crashes.

Lead author Arunima Roy, MBBS, PhD, and research fellow at the Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa said:
"ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. Between 5 percent and
75 percent of children with ADHD can continue to have the disorder
into adulthood. Extant research shows that ADHD is associated with more
traffic violations, speeding violations, license suspensions, and risky
driving behaviors.

"The likelihood of risky driving behavior increases with persistence of childhood ADHD symptoms into adulthood. Prior research from our group
as well as by others also shows that, aside from driving behaviors,
a persistence of ADHD into adulthood can impair functioning in
other domains. These domains can include occupational performance,
educational attainment, emotional functioning, substance use, and justice involvement." The findings, based on the Multimodal Treatment Study of
ADHD, a multisite study with six centers in the United States and one
in Canada. The MTA is one of the largest studies on treatment strategies
for ADHD and include a follow-up arm spanning 16 years.

A cohort of 441 children with ADHD and 231 age- and sex-matched comparison children without ADHD from the same classrooms were studied between the
ages of 7 and 25 years.

The researchers tracked data on ADHD symptoms, driving outcomes as well as
a number of comorbid conditions, such as oppositional defiant disorder,
conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and substance use
during childhood and into adulthood.

The researchers found that rates of licensure and ages at licensure were comparable between adults with and without a history of ADHD. However,
the two groups differed in rates of car crash involvement by
adulthood. Importantly, adults with continuing ADHD symptoms had the
highest rate of car crash involvement compared to adults with no history
of ADHD (1.81 times higher).

Finally, rates of car crashes did not differ between adults whose ADHD
symptoms remitted and adults who never had any ADHD.

"Clinicians must keep in mind the long-term effects of childhood ADHD on quality of life while attending to patients and take a holistic approach
to treatment and management," Dr. Roy concluded.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Arunima Roy, Annie A. Garner, Jeffery N. Epstein, Betsy Hoza,
J. Quyen
Nichols, Brooke S.G. Molina, James M. Swanson, L. Eugene
Arnold, Lily Hechtman. Effects of Childhood and Adult Persistent
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on Risk of Motor Vehicle
Crashes: Results From the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children
With Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of the
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2020; 59 (8):
952 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.08.007 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818142135.htm

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