Mental Health in Emerging Adults With ADHD and/or Specific Learning Disabilities: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The transition to adulthood, including mental health, has been a focus of research; however, little is known about the mental health outcomes of emerging adults with high incidence diagnoses including ADHD and specific learning disabilities (SLD). This scoping review describes the current state of the research on our understanding of both positive and negative mental health outcomes in these populations. Results of this scoping found an emphasis on emerging adults with ADHD (78%) over those with SLD (12%) or with ADHD and SLD (10%), and over half focused on those who attended postsecondary institutions despite low percentages of these populations going on to postsecondary education. Studies included frequently provided limited information on race or ethnicity, sex or gender, or ADHD or SLD subtypes. Additionally, there was greater focus on negative mental health outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression) than positive mental health outcomes (e.g., wellbeing, flourishing). We end by discussing implications for future research.0020.