Adult's ADHD Differs From Children's

Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults usually differ from those found in children, researchers report.

"People most commonly think of ADHD as 'hyperactivity,' but our results suggest that would be a misnomer in most adults," said Dr. Timothy Wilens of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Instead, he believes "inattention is the most common symptom among adults."

Wilens is co-author of a study on ADHD published in the May issue of the Journal of Attention Disorders.

ADHD is characterized by a constellation of behaviors centered on an inability to sustain attention and/or a general restlessness or hyperactivity. The disorder first came to public attention after parents began to notice the positive effects of certain drugs (most notably Ritalin), on the school performance of children diagnosed with the syndrome.

The Boston researchers sought to determine the characteristics of ADHD in adult patient populations. They conducted psychiatric assessments of 149 middle-aged adults diagnosed with the disorder.

The investigators found that symptoms centered around inattentiveness were the most frequently mentioned negative behaviors associated with adult ADHD. "The most commonly reported inattentive symptoms (endorsed by an average of 92% of our sample) were difficulty sustaining attention, shifting activities frequently, and difficulty following through on tasks," according to the study authors. And 93% of the sample said their illness was predominantly characterized by symptoms of inattention.

Just 2% of adult ADHD patients placed themselves in the "hyperactive/impulsive" only subcategory of ADHD, a much lower percentage than that found among pediatric patient populations.

Wilens cautions that occasional inattention does not imply a diagnosis of ADHD. "Anyone reading a list of ADHD symptoms might recognize some of these qualities in themselves," he explained, "but the difference for people with ADHD is the vast number of symptoms, their continuation throughout life, and their magnitude. Instead of losing things about once a month, for example, someone with ADHD may misplace things four or five times a day."

Source: Journal of Attention Disorders 1998;2:159-166.