Trauma and Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study investigated the relationship between adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and trauma. Fifty-eight adults admitted to hospital with musculoskeletal trauma were evaluated using scales that determine the presence of ADHD in childhood and adulthood. Each patient was also interviewed by an adult psychiatrist and a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The control group consisted of 30 adult patients with complaints other than trauma who did not have a history of repetitive traumas. There were 36 (62.2%) cases of ADHD in the patient group compared with four (13.3%) in the control group; this difference was statistically significant. When the level of trauma was evaluated, ADHD was identified in 23 of the 26 (88.5%) patients with high energy traumas compared with 14 of the 32 (43.8%) patients with low energy traumas; this difference was also statistically significant. This study shows that patients with adult ADHD are more prone to injuries, particularly high energy traumas such as motor vehicle accidents. Patients who have repeated high energy traumas should be evaluated by a psychiatrist for ADHD.