Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in patients with schizophrenia

Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2019 Jan;139(1):89-96. doi: 10.1111/acps.12948. Epub 2018 Aug 13.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the frequency of childhood and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a cohort of patients with schizophrenia (SCZ).

Methods: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate existing evidence. Two self-report questionnaires were used to investigate adult ADHD and childhood ADHD symptoms in 126 patients with ICD-10 diagnoses of SCZ.

Results: Five studies were included in the systematic review, with the prevalence of childhood and adult ADHD in SCZ subjects ranging between 17-57% and 10-47% respectively. Within our cohort, 47% of patients reported positive screening for ADHD symptoms either in childhood or adulthood. 23% reported symptomatology consistent with both childhood and adult ADHD.

Conclusions: We demonstrate a greater presence of ADHD symptomatology in SCZ compared to that reported for ADHD in the general population. Our findings highlight the importance of improved clinical assessment and treatment considerations in a subgroup of patients with SCZ.

Keywords: ADHD; cognitive impairment; comorbidity; diagnosis; psychoses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / epidemiology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenia / epidemiology*
  • Self Report / standards
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards
  • Young Adult