The dangerous disorder ADHD will increase the suicide
attempts.
Image Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/920327
Girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are
significantly more likely to attempt suicide or injure themselves as young
adults than girls who do not have ADHD, according to research published by the
American Psychological Association.
Young women diagnosed with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder as girls, particularly the type with early signs of
impulsivity, were three to four times more likely to attempt suicide and two to
three times more likely to report injuring themselves than comparable young
women in a control group, according to the findings, published online in the
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
"ADHD can signal future psychological problems for
girls as they are entering adulthood," said the study's lead author,
Stephen Hinshaw, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of California,
Berkeley. "Our findings reinforce the idea that ADHD in girls is
particularly severe and can have serious public health implications."
The first wave of the study comprised 228 girls ages 6 to
12 in the San Francisco Bay area. A total of 53 percent were white, 27 percent
were African-American, 11 percent were Latina and 9 percent were
Asian-American. The girls were recruited from schools, mental health centers,
pediatric practices and community advertisements. They went through extensive
diagnostic assessments, after which 140 girls were diagnosed with ADHD, while
the rest were part of a control group. Forty-seven girls were diagnosed with
ADHD-inattentive, a subtype of ADHD that means the girls are less likely to act
out and can sit quietly but have a hard time paying attention. Ninety three had
ADHD-combined, a combination of hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive
symptoms. ADHD-combined is the most common subtype of ADHD referred for
treatment.
After the initial diagnostic tests, the researchers
followed up at year five and at year 10 with a full day of clinical assessments
of each girl. They also conducted telephone interviews or home visits if
necessary. Of the original sample, 95 percent of the girls were retained at the
10-year follow-up, when the participants were between the ages of 17 and 24.
They and their families were questioned about a range of life problems,
including any substance use, suicide attempts, self-injury and depressive
symptoms. The young women were also tested for academic achievement and
neuropsychological functioning.
Of the participants diagnosed with ADHD-combined, 22
percent reported at least one suicide attempt at the 10-year follow-up,
compared to 8 percent of those with ADHD-inattentive and 6 percent of the
control group. Girls in the ADHD-combined group were significantly more likely
to injure themselves, with 51 percent reporting actions such as scratching,
cutting, burning or hitting themselves. That compared to 19 percent in the
control group and 29 percent in the ADHD-inattentive group.
There were no significant differences in substance use
across the groups; however, the girls diagnosed with ADHD as children were more
likely to continue to have symptoms of ADHD, more psychiatric problems and far
greater use of psychological services, the study found.
"ADHD in girls and women carries a particularly high
risk of internalizing, even self-harmful behavior patterns," said Hinshaw.
"We know that girls with ADHD-combined are more likely to be impulsive and
have less control over their actions, which could help explain these
distressing findings."
Image Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/920327
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