The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of follow-up studies

Background. This study examined the persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood. Method. We analyzed data from published follow-up studies of ADHD. To be included in the analysis, these additional studies had to meet the following criteria: the study included a cont...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological medicine Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 159 - 165
Main Authors: FARAONE, STEPHEN V., BIEDERMAN, JOSEPH, MICK, ERIC
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2006
Subjects:
Age
Age Factors
Age of Onset
Aging
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology
Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Biological and medical sciences
Child clinical studies
Criteria
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperactivity
Longitudinal studies
Medical diagnosis
Medical sciences
Meta-analysis
Meta-Analysis as Topic
Persistence
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Remission (Medicine)
Systematic review
Attentional disorder
Follow up study
Hyperactivity
Attention disorder with hyperactivity
Review
Age
Metaanalysis
ISSN:0033-2917, 1469-8978
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Background. This study examined the persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood. Method. We analyzed data from published follow-up studies of ADHD. To be included in the analysis, these additional studies had to meet the following criteria: the study included a control group and it was clear from the methods if the diagnosis of ADHD included subjects who did not meet full criteria but showed residual and impairing signs of the disorder. We used a meta-analysis regression model to separately assess the syndromatic and symptomatic persistence of ADHD. Results. When we define only those meeting full criteria for ADHD as having ‘persistent ADHD’, the rate of persistence is low, ~15% at age 25 years. But when we include cases consistent with DSM-IV's definition of ADHD in partial remission, the rate of persistence is much higher, ~65%. Conclusions. Our results show that estimates of ADHD's persistence rely heavily on how one defines persistence. Yet, regardless of definition, our analyses show that evidence for ADHD lessens with age. More work is needed to determine if this reflects true remission of ADHD symptoms or is due to the developmental insensitivity of diagnostic criteria for the disorder.
Bibliography:ark:/67375/6GQ-L6B8TG04-T
PMID:16420712
PII:S003329170500471X
istex:4300A17E86CA97524737115F06E4A06196580944
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
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ObjectType-Review-3
ISSN:0033-2917
1469-8978
DOI:10.1017/S003329170500471X