ADHD Kids at Higher Risk for Drug Abuse

Inattentive children are more likely to use drugs when they are teens.

By Colin Allen, published on August 01, 2003

Kids who have difficulty paying attention may be in for more trouble during adolescence. Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder increases the risk of substance abuse in teenage years, according to a recent study. Researchers found that these teens started using drugs, alcohol and nicotine earlier and more frequently than their focused peers. The study suggests that inattention difficulties may prove to be as important as a family history of alcoholism or other substance abuse problems.

"Children with ADHD are known for not doing well in school," says Brooke Molina, a psychologist from the University of Pittsburgh, "They tend to fall out of mainstream culture."

Molina and colleagues recruited 142 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 who had previously visited the university's Attention Deficit Disorder Clinic when they were younger. They also recruited a control group of 100 teens that had not been diagnosed with the disorder. They interviewed both groups about any drug habits they had developed.

Each group said they had used drugs, but teens with ADHD were three times more likely to use an illegal drug other than marijuana. They reported more drinking, smoking and substance abuse. Some 72 percent still had ADHD their teenage years.

"Those with the most severe symptoms where the most at risk," notes Molina. The 26 percent with severe inattention problems were five times more likely to use illegal drugs.

"Treatment with medication and behavior management have been shown to be most effective types of treatment," explains Molina. "Parents who have children with ADHD should have clear and consistent rules as well as good communication with them."

ADHD is found in 3 to 5 percent of school-aged children. Molina hopes to continue her research to see how the disorder impacts people in adulthood. The current study was published in the August issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.