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Having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child may affect a person’s education and salary prospects years later, a new study suggests.
In the study, men who were diagnosed with ADHD as children achieved lower levels of education and earned less money at age 41 compared with men who did not have the condition in childhood.
In addition, men diagnosed with ADHD were more likely to be divorced, have a substance abuse disorder or have been in prison compared to those without childhood ADHD.
The findings "highlight the importance of extended monitoring and treatment of children with ADHD," the researchers said.
About 3 to 5 percent of schoolchildren have ADHD, or problems with attentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity that are abnormal for the children's ages, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Previously, researchers thought ADHD symptoms disappeared during the teenage years, but studies have found this is not always the case. Some reports show higher rates of antisocial personality disorders and substance abuse disorders in young adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children, the researchers said. However, few studies have followed people who had childhood ADHD into their 30s or beyond.
In the new study, Rachel Klein, of New York University's Langone Medical Center, and colleagues analyzed information from 135 white men who were diagnosed with ADHD at around age 8, and followed them for more than 30 years. Researchers also looked at 136 men who were not diagnosed with ADHD as children.
On average, men with childhood ADHD completed 2.5 fewer years of education, and earned about $40,000 less annually than those without ADHD.
Only about 3.7 percent of participants with childhood ADHD obtained a graduate degree, compared with about 30 percent of those without ADHD.
In addition, 36 percent of participants with childhood ADHD had gone to prison for at least one day in their lives, compared with 11 percent of those without ADHD. Nine percent of participants with childhood ADHD were divorced, compared with 3 percent without ADHD.
ADHD participants were not at increased risk of anxiety or mood disorders, however, the study found.
The study began in the 1970s, when little was known about diagnosing or treating children who had ADHD, the researchers noted. However, the study did exclude children with conduct disorder, which is a related behavior problem in which children exhibit aggressive or antisocial behavior.
Because the study included only white males, it's not clear if the results apply to women or to other ethnic groups, the researchers said. In addition, the results were based on self-reports, which may not be entirely accurate.
The study was published online today (Oct. 15) in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
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Leave a Comment:
Mental illness can impact a person's education and way of life? You don't say.
ADHD is not considered a mental illness.
Roman Zaytsev
ADHD is not a mental illness.. Stupidity maybe, I dunno, you tell us..
I'm not sure where this study came from from but ADD has a counterpart which is hyper-focus, the opposite of the distraction portion.
While I do not hold a post grad degree I work with and make the same as my counterparts I work with and have been successful as have many people with ADD.
Roman, many of todays physicians STILL do not consider ADHD a 'mental illness'. They see ADHD as a behavioral issue, not a medical problem.
Actually no it's not a behavorial issue, or a mental illness, it's the kids are coming in smarter and they don't want to sit and be a robot! They want to experience it, take it apart see how it works and then put it back together.
Where as; society wants everyone to do the same, act the same. They say we are unique, and be yourself. Then they judge you and label you and try to make you fit into that box.
actually he makes a very good point, and my own experiences can verify the truth of it. You're the one who doesn;t have a clue.
Damn no wonder I suck. I had ADHD and didn't get my Bachelors until I was 31; I am 32 now. We need to change society to accommondate us, not the other way around.
If this is not a joke, good for you getting a Bachelors. Many people never finish college.
Behavior modification works so much better than drugs with ADHD. check out www.chadd.org
When they tried to treat my " hyper-activity " in the 60's they gave me Thorazine !
I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING, Just sit and drool .
When I complained they also gave me " Happy pills "
It's better treatment now I hear...
Don't miss the most telling part of this article "In the study, men who were diagnosed with ADHD as children". Diagnosed means they got tangled up with psychiatrists pushing drugs. Like Ritalin which is a very close cousin to meth. Then we wonder why they spend time on drugs and in prison. Want to give them a chance? Don't diagnose them. Recognize that kids are people with different personalities. If the kid doesn't fit the mold, change the mold. Don't drug the kid into submission.
Right on dionysus24, The old way was be quiet and listen to what I have to say, and they are not standing for it!
Meditation instead of MEDication!!!
Oh that's bull! There are so many highly successful people who have ADHD, It's just the current school system can't keep up with them. The schools think they are problems because they do not stand to be shoved in the same old box. They don't want to sit and be taught. They want to discover on their own. They don't take everyone's opinion on stuff, they go out and experience it.
They think outside the box, and the World better get ready, because they are coming out with great new ways of doing things.
@D. in Denver - that is so true. I get so tired of people saying something has to be done this way or that way - things don't get resolved. It is when those who dare to "think outside of the box" when things really start to get accomplished.
My son has ADHD and he is very much like that you have described. It took us a long time fighting with the school to quit trying to push him into the mold of the perfect robot student. They teach by the sit down and be quite - you have to learn this and only this way method. Finally, they are finally beginning to see their way won't work and now they say "you know he is really very smart and he really seems to understand things on a higher level than a lot of the other kids." Hmmmm - I think we already knew that . . . so, what took you so long to figure that out . . .
Article was funded by big pharma, i was on Ritalin for over 10 years. I never "knew" life till i got off of it. I was such a zombie... PARENTS DONT RUIN YOUR KIDS CHILDHOOD! Work with your kids, listen and dont medicate... pharmaceuticals are not the answer.
BTW regarding my achievements: i am 26 years old, work as a network engineer with computers, have more certs up the butt and on top of my game. Ive been told my whole life i will have to work harder and may never achieve what everyone else has.... all that did is make me work harder and now im above the norm.. much above :-D
Good for you! I have some family that never got off the stuff and it ruined their lives completely. I now know of several people that had the same progression of diagnosis. They start ADD then ADHD then manic depressive then Bipolar. And a new set of dope for each diagnosis. I'm convinced that the dope for each causes the symptoms for the next diagnosis because it happens too often to be coincidence. The cases where people have broken free of this cycle are too rare. Well done!
I will be really impressed once you learn basic grammar and punctuation.
Yep, kids by nature have short attention span.
What happened to all the kids born before 20th century and the discovery of ADHD ? Learning to focus is one of the life skills you have to develop.
I say the majority of ADHD causes are just excuses for doctors and drug companies to make billions of $$$...
I doubt drug companies are making billions on inexpensive commonly prescribed generics Ritalin or Adderall.
I have ADHD only i did not know it until my 20s. I just thought i was stupid. My son has ADHD. I recognized it immediatly. I had a REAL HARD time getting him diagnosed. Doctors dont like being told anything by thier patients. I did finally get him to take meds and it did really help. His twin sister saw a huge difference. However he did not like the side effects. his body his life so I did not force him to take meds. I did however have to work with him to get him through school. This was really tough. I taught him how to stay focused and keep his mind on what he needed. Meds do help. but it is not always the only answer. Us with ADHD have a huge problem with the outside world invading our minds when we need to stay focused. We are aware of everything so processing can become a problem. No you dont outgrow it but you do learn to cope. If your having problems coping get meds they do help. My son grew up and now has a job working with computers. He thrives on the fast pace and the constant change. Loves computer games. he has a wife and just bought a house. I went on to school and have a bacholers in nursing. Just like those with dyslexia we do things different. The world is a little different for us. There are many new drugs out there to help IF you need them. I did have a doctor tell me something that may help.... if your taking something for ADHD and your spaced out or zombie like.... you are either on the wrong drug or you dont need it or you dont have ADHD. I am not against prescribed drugs for ADHD. But I dont think anyone should take them if you dont get the desired effect. My son is not taking anything. neither am i unless coffee counts wich we both drink copious amounts of.
I'm just wondering and know it's a complicated issue, but after teaching large populations of children over a 40 time span I believe I can say that from observation that there is something going on out there. This statement is with respect to what appears to be an ever expanding population of children with adhd, autism, aspergers and a whole range of other diagnosed disabilities. Truly, I don't think it's a matter of better assessments our populations seem to be growing. I've been looking into the cause and effect of fluoride in our drinking system and am alarmed at what I'm picking up including the implication that it contributes to hyperactivity, lowered IQ and cancers. And, that it tends to concentrate in the pineal gland. If you drink coffee I believe it is one of the chemical substances that can cross the blood brain membrane and you certainly have to use water to make it.
My son had terrible ADHD as a child with severe problems in school. I talked him into going back to school as an adult and he kept plugging at it. It was a terrible struggle for him and he had to take remedial classes at the community college and a low course load for years, but now he has a 3.9 GPA at a large university where he was recently admitted to the business college's honors program. He realizes he has talent now and actually enjoys working with figures - he has a bright future. Never give up!
You know what the biggest cause of ADHD ? Network television !
Have you ever watched CNN or Headline News ? It's like 2 min of news and 3 min of ads of 30 sec spots... no wonder we are ADHD'd out!
Avoid network TV or any TV with ads.