Preteen girls who experience attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at a higher risk of attempting suicide or self-injury later in life, a new study says.
Stephen Hinshaw from the University of California and his colleagues found female patients of ADHD, particularly those having an impulsive behavior, three to four times more likely to attempt suicide and two to three times more likely to physically injure themselves.
"ADHD in girls and women carries a particularly high risk of internalizing, even self-harmful behavior patterns," said lead author Hinshaw, in a statement. "We know that girls with ADHD-combined are more likely to be impulsive and have less control over their actions, which could help explain these distressing findings."
The study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, included 228 girls selected from schools, mental health centers, pediatric practices and community advertisements in the San Francisco Bay area. All the participants, aged between six and 12, underwent ADHD tests and 140 received positive results.
Out of 140 girls, 47 were detected with ADHD-inattentive and 93 had ADHD-combined - a mixture of hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive symptoms.
The investigators monitored the participants for 10 years and collected information like substance use, suicide attempts, self-injury and depressive symptoms.
At the end of the study, 22 percent of the participants diagnosed with ADHD-combined reported at least one suicide attempt, compared to 8 percent of the ADHD- inattentive group and control group (six percent).
"ADHD can signal future psychological problems for girls as they are entering adulthood," explained Hinshaw. "Our findings reinforce the idea that ADHD in girls is particularly severe and can have serious public health implications."
ADHD is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood. According to a CDC data, one in 11 children in the country suffers from the disorder. It cannot be fully cured and lasts into adulthood. An early identification and treatment is important as the disorder can have a negative impact on learning and academic development.
