Does the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with stimulants contribute to drug use/abuse?
OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of stimulant treatment during childhood and high school on risk for substance use, dependence, and abuse by young adulthood. METHODS: A total of 147 clinic-referred hyperactive children were followed approximately 13 years into adulthood (mean: 21 years old; range: 19-25). At adolescent (age 15) and adult follow-up, probands were interviewed about their use of various substances and duration of stimulant treatment. RESULTS: Duration of stimulant treatment was not significantly associated with frequency of any form of drug use by young adulthood. Stimulant-treated children had no greater risk of ever trying drugs by adolescence or any significantly greater frequency of drug use by young adulthood. Stimulant treatment in high school also did not influence drug use in adulthood except for greater use of cocaine. This difference was no longer significant after controlling for severity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder in child
Related Questions
- Does attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder impact the developmental course of drug and alcohol abuse and dependence?
- Does the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with stimulants contribute to drug use/abuse?
- Do high doses of stimulants impair flexible thinking in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder?
