Does Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder increase the risk of suicide attempts?

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 133; no. 3; pp. 595 - 599
• Main Authors: Agosti, Vito, Chen, Ying, Levin, Frances R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.10.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Biological and medical sciences; Child clinical studies; Comorbid disorders; Comorbidity; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Parasuicide; Prognosis; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk Factors; Risk reduction; Suicidal behaviour; Suicide; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Suicide attempts; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; Suicide attempts; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Comorbid disorders; Concomitant disease; Risk factor; Attention disorder with hyperactivity; Suicide attempt
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.05.008

Abstract Objective To determine if Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for suicide attempts. Methods Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Replication Survey (NCS-R), a nationally representative sample of adults (N = 8098). Results Of the 365 adults with current ADHD, 16% attempted suicide. After controlling for the presence of comorbid disorders, logistic regression analyses revealed that the ADHD was not a not a strong predictor of suicide attempts; having one or more comorbid disorders was associated with fourfold to twelvefold elevated risk. Limitations The small sample size of respondents with ADHD who attempted suicide significantly reduced the probability of determining which specific comorbid disorders were correlated with parasuicide. Conclusions Early treatment of ADHD and comorbidity may reduce the risk of suicide attempts and improve its prognosis.