Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Grown Up: An 18-Year Follow-Up after Multimodal Treatment

Abstract

Objective: ADHD treatment has positive effects on behavioral symptoms and psychosocial functioning, but studies that follow children treated for ADHD into adulthood are rare. Method: This follow-up study assessed symptom severity and functional outcomes of adults ( n = 70) who had received individualized ADHD treatment in the Cologne Adaptive Multimodal Treatment (CAMT) Study at ages 6 to 10 years. Results: Despite symptomatic improvement, participants reported poorer educational and occupational outcomes than expected (e.g., currently unemployed: 17%). They had also been in contact with the justice system more often than expected (e.g., lifetime convictions: 33%) and were impaired on health-related outcomes (e.g., substance use problems: 15%). Several social outcomes were favorable (e.g., long-term relationship/married: 63%). Conclusion: Compared to the general population or norm samples, CAMT participants had a higher relative risk ( RR) of functional impairments, demonstrating the need for continued support for a substantial proportion of the young adults.

Predicting delinquent behavior in young adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD: results from the Cologne Adaptive Multimodal Treatment (CAMT) Study

“…The participants (N = 59) had received individualized ADHD treatment within the Cologne Adaptive Multimodal Treatment Study (CAMT) during childhood and were reassessed in adulthood (18-year FU). As we reported previously [23], the CAMT sample had poorer educational and occupational outcomes in adulthood and more criminal justice system involvement than expected (e.g., lifetime convictions: 33%), despite symptomatic improvement.…”

“…Among those who had been in contact with the police (n = 32), the most common offenses were assault with bodily harm (n = 15, 47%), drug use (n = 13, 41%), and theft (n = 13, 41%). Döpfner et al [23] provide a detailed description of the results, including educational, occupational and health-related outcomes.…”

“…However, CAMT participants, as a group, had poor educational and occupational outcomes, and they had come into contact with the justice system more often than expected based on the adult outcomes of the MTA sample [18]. In young adulthood, 46% of the CAMT participants reported having had at least one police contact, and one-third of the sample (33%) reported having been charged or convicted for an offense, most often because of an assault with bodily harm, theft or drug use [23].…”

“…In the CAMT Study, 75 children with ADHD (6-10 years of age) received individually tailored multimodal ADHD treatment consisting of medication management and/or behavioral interventions [20]. They were reassessed 18 months [21], 8 years [22] and 18 years [23] after the active treatment phase. At the 8-year follow-up, about one-third (35%) of the CAMT sample (aged between 15 and 22 years) reported having had one or more police contacts, and 16% reported having been convicted at least once.…”

The Accuracy of Retrospective Recall of Childhood ADHD: Results from a Longitudinal Study

“…A detailed description of the initial study is provided by Döpfner, Breuer, Schürmann, Wolff Metternich, Rademacher and Lehmkuhl (2004). Follow-up [FU] assessments were conducted 18 months (Döpfner, Ise, Wolff Metternich-Kaizman, Schürmann, Rademacher and Breuer 2015), 8 years (Döpfner, Ise, Breuer, Rademacher, Wolff Metternich-Kaizman and Schürmann 2020) and 18 years after treatment (Döpfner, Mandler, Breuer, Dose, Walter and von Wirth 2020). Informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians prior to study inclusion in childhood and all participants and respondents gave their informed consent prior to data collection at the 18-year FU.…”