What type of study is this?

This is a Meta-Analysis study (also classified as: Systematic Review).

September 10, 2025

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Predictors of Adult Psychiatric Outcomes of Childhood ADHD

Key Points

ADHD persistence in childhood significantly increases the risk of substance use disorders and major depressive disorder in adulthood.
History of stimulant treatment in childhood shows a strong association with increased ADHD persistence as an adult.
Higher childhood IQ is linked to a lower likelihood of enduring ADHD symptoms into adulthood.
Childhood predictors include anxiety disorders, social dysfunction, and socioeconomic status, though methodological issues limit current findings.

Abstract

ObjectivePsychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in adults with childhood-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Currently, little is known about childhood predictors for these outcomes.MethodPubMed, PsychInfo, WoS, and EMBASE were searched until June 2024. Eligible studies investigated childhood predictors of persistent ADHD, substance use disorders (SUD), conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), and/or anxiety disorders in adults diagnosed with childhood ADHD (PROSPERO #CRD42022320887). Meta-analytic models were tested when N ≥3 for a predictor with similar effect measures, otherwise predictors were discussed narratively when N ≥2. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess study quality. ResultsThe selected 36 studies included 119 predictors, with 10 predictors eligible for meta-analyses. History of stimulant treatment (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.28-2.75, p = .001) was associated with increased, and higher childhood IQ with decreased (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00, p =.039), risk of ADHD persistence in adulthood. ADHD persistence was associated with increased risk of SUDs (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.53-3.17, p =.004) and MDD (OR = 3.19, 95% CI 1.71-5.95, p .001). Narratively reviewed predictors of fair/good quality studies showed potential predictors for ADHD persistence (i.e., ADHD combined type, hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, anxiety disorders, externalizing problems, social dysfunctioning, and socioeconomic status). ConclusionWe confirmed earlier reported childhood predictors (i.e., stimulant treatment history, ADHD persistence) and identified potential new predictors (i.e., childhood anxiety disorders, social problems, socioeconomic status) for psychiatric outcomes of ADHD. However, the available literature is hampered by methodological shortcomings. Future studies should focus on studying combined effects of potential predictors.

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay