Abstract
BackgroundIt is well known that a wide range of psychiatric disorders co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study we aimed to examine the associations of psychiatric comorbidity in ADHD with symptom severity and level of functioning.MethodsWe used data from the Swedish National Quality Registry for ADHD Treatment Follow-up and identified comorbid diagnoses in a sample of 3246 Swedish children and adolescents with ADHD. We investigated the association of comorbidity with symptom severity and level of function by multiple linear regressions.ResultsAutism spectrum disorder, anxiety and affective disorders, oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, learning disorders, and multiple comorbid disorders associate to lower levels of functioning compared to ADHD only. Multiple comorbidity, autism spectrum disorder, oppositional defiant or conduct disorders and tic disorders relate to ADHD symptom severity.ConclusionsComorbidity subgroups with ADHD differ in functional impairment and ADHD symptoms severity. Information on comorbidity profiles could be used for treatment planning more adapted to the individual. Especially those who have autism spectrum disorders and multiple comorbid disorders are at risk of severe ADHD symptoms and low level of functioning.
Highlights
It is well known that a wide range of psychiatric disorders co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Of the 3246 included participants, the majority, 65.2%, (25.7% females) were diagnosed with combined Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), followed by 18.4% with the inattentive type (34.2% females, mean age 13.71 ± 2.37 years), the hyperactive/impulsive type 4.4%, (20.8% females, mean age 12.10 ± 2.98 years) and 3.4% were diagnosed with ADHD not otherwise specified (32.7% females, mean age 12.24 ± 3.01 years)
The results revealed that the presence of ASD, multiple comorbidities oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD) and tic disorders is associated with more ADHD symptoms in this sample of children and adolescents with ADHD
Summary
It is well known that a wide range of psychiatric disorders co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study we aimed to examine the associations of psychiatric comorbidity in ADHD with symptom sever‐ ity and level of functioning. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity causing impairment in two or more settings. ADHD is associated with an increased risk of having other coexisting psychiatric disorders, both in childhood and in adulthood [3]. Comorbidity with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders is common in both child and adult ADHD: in clinically referred children the rate is approximately 65% to 85% [4]. Comorbidity rates are smaller in population-based samples [5,6,7]
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