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

J Affect Disord. 2011 Oct;133(3):595-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.05.008. Epub 2011 Jun 11.

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology*
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data
  • Suicide, Attempted / psychology*
  • Suicide, Attempted / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult