Identifying Probationers with Adhd-Related Behaviors in a Drug Abuse Treatment Setting

Abstract

Increasing recognition is being given to the manifestations of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood. Prospective studies have indicated that many children diagnosed with ADHD continue to have symptoms of the disorder. These often are associated with antisocial behaviors, suggesting that ADHD may be an undetected and untreated root cause of these behaviors. In the present study, indicators of ADHD were examined in a population of probationers in a court-referred drug abuse treatment setting. The results showed that 31% had symptoms indicative of ADHD and that these symptoms were associated with self-reported measures of arrest history, aggressive behavior, drug use, family atmosphere, and family mental health.