Study: Children with ADHD at risk of developing substance abuse problems

By Staff Writer

A recent study reveals that children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are up to three times more likely than kids without the disorder to develop serious substance abuse problems later in life.

The findings, which appear in the online journal Clinical Psychology Review, were based on 27 long-term studies that followed about 4,100 children with ADHD and 6,800 kids who did not have the disorder. Some of the children were examined for as long as 10 years.

Researchers from UCLA concluded that kids with ADHD typically fall into three groups: one-third will have serious problems socially and academically, one-third will have moderate issues through adolescence and adulthood, while the other third will only have mild impairment and perform well in school and in life.

Teens with learning disorders, however, are more likely than healthy children to use substances such as nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and other drugs. Symptoms of ADHD - easily distracted and impulsive - can contribute to these unhealthy behaviors, the study's researchers said.

Problem teens who abuse drugs or alcohol may benefit from boarding schools, many of which offer programs that promote positive decision-making.