ADHD Follow-Up in Adulthood among Subjects Treated for the Disorder in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service from 1995 to 2015

Rosaria Di Lorenzo; Jessica Balducci; Anna Cutino; Emanuela Latella; Giulia Venturi; Sergio Rovesti; Tommaso Filippini; Paola Ferri

doi:10.3390/medicina59020338

ADHD Follow-Up in Adulthood among Subjects Treated for the Disorder in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service from 1995 to 2015

Medicina (Kaunas). 2023 Feb 10;59(2):338. doi: 10.3390/medicina59020338.

Authors

Rosaria Di Lorenzo¹, Jessica Balducci², Anna Cutino³, Emanuela Latella⁴, Giulia Venturi⁴, Sergio Rovesti⁵, Tommaso Filippini^{5

6}, Paola Ferri⁵

Affiliations

¹ Psychiatrist of Department Mental Health and Drug Abuse, AUSL-Modena, 41126 Modena, Italy.
² Psychiatrist of Department Mental Health and Drug Abuse, AUSL-Bologna, 40131 Bologna, Italy.
³ Psychiatrist of Department Mental Health and Drug Abuse, ASP-Trapani, 91100 Trapani, Italy.
⁴ School of Specialization in Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy.
⁵ Section of Public Health, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy.
⁶ School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and can persist in adulthood. The aim of this study is to deepen knowledge about adult ADHD follow-up. Materials and Methods: This observational study consists of one retrospective part aimed at collecting records of children and adolescents treated for ADHD in the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) from 1995 to 2015 and, successively, at identifying their adult follow-up in Adult Mental Health Service (AMHS); the second part consists of ADHD scale administration, Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults (DIVA 2-0) and Adult Self Rating Scale (ASRSv1.1), for the subjects currently being treated at AMHS who agreed to participate in the study. Results: We observed that among the 55 patients treated at CAMHS between 1995 and 2015 for ADHD and subsequently at the AMHS, none presented a diagnosis of ADHD; instead, they were treated for Intellectual Dysfunction (33%), Borderline Personality Disorder (15%) and Anxiety Disorders (9%), and two individuals were also diagnosed with comorbid substance/alcohol abuse (4%). Of the 55 patients, only 25 (45%) were treated at AMHS during the study period. Though we asked for their informed consent to administer the questionnaires, we were able to test only seven patients. The ASRS-V1.1 score showed that 43% of patients reported symptoms of ADHD persistence in adulthood. For DIVA 2.0, 57% of individuals reported scores indicating the persistence of the ADHD inattention component, and 43% the persistence of both ADHD dimensions. Conclusions: ADHD cannot be considered a disorder confined to childhood/adolescence but instead is a chronic and complex condition that can persist into adulthood. The very small size of our final sample may account for both the high ADHD dropout rate over the long follow-up period and the difficult transition from child to adult health care in ADHD treatment. Our investigation suggests the need for specific training in the diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD and the implementation of transition protocols between minor and adult services to improve long-term treatments.

Keywords: ADHD comorbidities; adult ADHD; follow-up ADHD in adulthood.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety Disorders
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / psychology
Child
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Mental Health Services*
Retrospective Studies
Substance-Related Disorders*

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.