Substance Use Disorder in Adult-Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients: Patterns of Use and Related Clinical Features

Vincenza Spera, Alessandro Pallucchini, Marco Maiello, Marco Carli, Angelo G. I. Maremmani, Giulio Perugi and Icro Maremmani
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Vincenza Spera: PISA-School of Experimental and Clinical Psychiatry, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Alessandro Pallucchini: PISA-School of Experimental and Clinical Psychiatry, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Marco Maiello: PISA-School of Experimental and Clinical Psychiatry, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Marco Carli: School of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Angelo G. I. Maremmani: PISA-School of Experimental and Clinical Psychiatry, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Giulio Perugi: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy
Icro Maremmani: Association for the Application of Neuroscientific Knowledge to Social Aims (AU-CNS), 55045 Pietrasanta, Lucca, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: Background: While a large amount of medical literature has explored the association between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), less attention has been dedicated to the typologies of SUD and their relationships with ADHD-specific symptomatology and general psychopathology in dual disorder patients. Methods: We selected 72 patients (aged 18–65) with a concomitant SUD out of 120 adults with ADHD (A-ADHD). Assessment instruments included the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in adults (DIVA 2.0), Conner’s Adult ADHD Rating Scales–Observer (CAARS-O:S): Short Version, the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I and II Disorders (SCID-I), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Brief Psychiatric rating scale (BPRS), the Reactivity Intensity Polarity Stability Questionnaire (RIPoSt-40), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). A factorial analysis was performed to group our patients by clusters in different typologies of substance use and correlations between SUDs, as made evident by their typological and diagnostic features; in addition, specific ADHD symptoms, severity of general psychopathology and patients’ functionality were assessed. Results: Two patterns of substance use were identified: the first (type 1) characterized by stimulants/alcohol and the second (type 2) by the use of cannabinoids (THC). Type 1 users were significantly younger and had more legal problems. The two patterns were similar in terms of ADHD-specific symptomatology and its severity at treatment entry. No differences were found regarding the other scales assessed, except for lower scores at MEQ in type 1 users. Conclusions: At treatment entry, the presence of different comorbid SUD clusters do not affect ADHD-specific symptomatology or severity.

Keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; adult ADHD; substance use disorder (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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