ADHD is a predictor of adolescent depression and suicide
A sobering study just published in the Archives of General Psychiatry offers evidence that young children with ADHD are at increased risk of serious depression and suicide. The authors set out...
"To test the hypothesis that young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for depression and suicidal ideation and attempts during adolescence and to identify early predictors of which young children with ADHD are at greatest risk."
They examined 125 children diagnosed with ADHD at 4 to 6 years of age and compared them with 123 demographically matched children without ADHD. The children were followed with multiple diagnostic assessments of depression and suicidal behavior from 9 through 18 years of age. What did the data show?
"Children with ADHD at 4 to 6 years of age were at greatly increased risk for meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depression or dysthymia and for attempting suicide through the age of 18 years relative to comparison children...Within the ADHD group, children with each subtype of ADHD were at risk but for different adverse outcomes. Girls were at greater risk for depression and suicide attempts."
Incidentally...
"Maternal depression and concurrent child emotional and behavior problems at 4 to 6 years of age predicted depression and suicidal behavior."
This is a public health alarm of the highest order. Clinicians and parents who bear the authors' conclusion in mind will want to vigorously pursue a functional approach to identifying and treating the underlying causes of ADHD:
"All subtypes of ADHD in young children robustly predict adolescent depression and/or suicide attempts 5 to 13 years later. Furthermore, female sex, maternal depression, and concurrent symptoms at 4 to 6 years of age predict which children with ADHD are at greatest risk for these adverse outcomes. Identifying high-risk young children with ADHD sets the stage for early prevention trials to reduce risk for later depression and suicidal behavior."