Childhood abuse and neglect in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Objective: Although it has been suggested that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in children who were abused and that ADHD can be a risk factor for abuse itself, there are very few studies which investigated whether adult ADHD is associated with childhood abuse and neglect. The aim of this study was to fill this gap in the literature. Method: Seventy adults with DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis and 70 healthy control subjects were included in the study. We used Adult ADHD Self Rating Scale (ASRS) and Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) to support the diagnosis. All subjects were assessed using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Scale, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Results: ADHD subjects had higher ASRS inattentiveness, hyperactivity/impulsivity, WURS, and Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90) General Symptom Index scores than controls. ADHD group also had higher PCL, DES and ACE scores. In CTQ, ADHD subjects had higher emotional abuse and neglect scores than control subjects. ASRS and WURS scores were correlated with PCL, ACE, CTQ Emotional Abuse, and DES scores; WURS score was also correlated with CTQ Physical Abuse and Neglect scores. Regression analysis indicated that general level of psychopathology was most significantly associated with DES and PCL scores. Conclusions: Results suggested that ADHD cases were more commonly exposed to emotional abuse and neglect. They had significantly more dissociative experiences and reported Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms more frequently. The results pointed to the importance of childhood traumatic and adverse experiences in adults with ADHD. ARTICLE HISTORY

Investigation of childhood traumas in inpatient adults with major depression and with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidity (eng)

“…Sanderud et al also found that emotional abuse was the second factor associated with ADHD symptoms in young adults (42). Semiz et al reported that emotional abuse and neglect are common (40). In our study, patients with ADHD differed in terms of emotional abuse, physical neglect and physical abuse scores.…”

“…When these results are compared with other studies conducted in children, it is seen that du Prel Carroll et al (2008) found a relationship between inattentive type ADHD and physical neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse, and reported a relationship between hyperactive type ADHD and physical neglect (50). Semiz et al also found a relationship between hyperactivity/impulsivity scores and emotional neglect and abuse, and between inattention and emotional abuse in adults (40). Since emotional neglect and sexual abuse is a non-specific risk factor for any psychiatric disorder, this may be the reason for the lack of significant difference between ADHD subtypes (15).…”

“…In studies conducted on children with ADHD, it has been reported that childhood trauma history is common and traumatic experiences adversely affect prognosis (37,38). There are studies in the literature suggesting that adult Investigation of childhood traumas in inpatient adults with major depression and with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidity ADHD patients are more likely to experience childhood traumatic events (39,40). In our study, a significant difference was found between the patients diagnosed with depression and the patients with depression and ADHD comorbidity in terms of childhood traumas.…”

Childhood trauma: a risk for major depression in patients with psoriasis

“…According to Bavilacqua et al [36], the cut-off scores for each subscale were for sexual abuse ≥8, physical abuse ≥8, emotional abuse ≥10, physical neglect ≥8, and emotional neglect ≥15. The internal consistency coefficient of the English version ranged from 0.84 to 0.89 for emotional abuse, 0.81 to 0.86 for physical abuse, 0.92 to 0.95 for sexual abuse, 0.85 to 0.91 for emotional neglect, and 0.61 to 0.78 for physical neglect [37]. Nakhaee and Garrusi [38] performed the Persian language validation and reliability studies for the test.…”

Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorders in female trauma victims in an outpatient sample from Turkey

“…These forms of trauma have a lasting intensity and influence on the patient [46]. Moreover, according to a recent study has reported that ADHD cases were more commonly exposed to emotional abuse and neglect and had PTSD symptoms frequently [47]. These results may be interpreted as PTSD is one of the sequelae of early childhood maltreatment and exposure to early life trauma is a risk factor for adult PTSD.…”