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Vol. 18, No. 12, December 2002
1. Keep Your Eye On...Suicide
2. Aggressive behavior commonly linked to ADHD

Keep Your Eye On...Suicide
Intentional self-injury, suicide attempts and suicide deaths occurred significantly more frequently in patients with ADHD than in controls, according to new research. To conduct their study, Andrine Swensen, Ph.D., and colleagues retrospectively identified 55,760 patients with a diagnosis of ADHD from a U.S. Managed Care database, and randomly selected a sample of age-, gender-, and index-year matched controls (N=167,280). After controlling for depression and substance abuse, the study revealed that intentional self-injury and suicide attempts were 1.7 times and 2.1 times, more likely (respectively) in patients with ADHD than in controls (p<0.05). The study also revealed that the incidence of suicide death was three times higher in ADHD patients than in controls. [Swensen A, Kruesi M, Allen A, et al.: Self-injury and suicide in patients with ADHD.]

Keep Your Eye On...Suicide

Intentional self-injury, suicide attempts and suicide deaths occurred significantly more frequently in patients with ADHD than in controls, according to new research. To conduct their study, Andrine Swensen, Ph.D., and colleagues retrospectively identified 55,760 patients with a diagnosis of ADHD from a U.S. Managed Care database, and randomly selected a sample of age-, gender-, and index-year matched controls (N=167,280). After controlling for depression and substance abuse, the study revealed that intentional self-injury and suicide attempts were 1.7 times and 2.1 times, more likely (respectively) in patients with ADHD than in controls (p<0.05). The study also revealed that the incidence of suicide death was three times higher in ADHD patients than in controls. [Swensen A, Kruesi M, Allen A, et al.: Self-injury and suicide in patients with ADHD.]

Aggressive behavior commonly linked to ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is commonly associated with chronic and serious aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, Canadian researchers reported recently. One hundred twenty-nine children and adolescents referred with chronic and serious aggressive behavior were included in the study, which sought to determine the common psychiatric disorders associated with this behavior. Assessments included structured clinical interviews of the patient and parents, as well as parent and teacher rating scales. The study revealed at least one serious psychiatric disorder for every patient that presented with severe and chronic aggressive behavior, with most patients presented with more than one psychiatric disorder. After patients with conduct disorder were separated from those with ADHD, the study showed that 82.4 percent of ADHD cases (without conduct disorder) had verbal aggression and 72.1 percent had physical aggression. Physical cruelty and damage to their belongings or home was reported for 47 percent and 40 percent, respectively, of those patients. The researchers conclude, "Early identification and treatment of chronic, serious aggressive behavior in children and youth may prevent the development of serious injury of self and others." They add, "The effective treatment of ADHD may prevent development of conduct disorder." Turgay A, Morgan A, Ansari R, et al.: Chronic and serious aggressive behavior in children and adolescents are commonly associated with psychiatric disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Banff, November 2002.

Aggressive behavior commonly linked to ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is commonly associated with chronic and serious aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, Canadian researchers reported recently.

One hundred twenty-nine children and adolescents referred with chronic and serious aggressive behavior were included in the study, which sought to determine the common psychiatric disorders associated with this behavior. Assessments included structured clinical interviews of the patient and parents, as well as parent and teacher rating scales.

The study revealed at least one serious psychiatric disorder for every patient that presented with severe and chronic aggressive behavior, with most patients presented with more than one psychiatric disorder. After patients with conduct disorder were separated from those with ADHD, the study showed that 82.4 percent of ADHD cases (without conduct disorder) had verbal aggression and 72.1 percent had physical aggression. Physical cruelty and damage to their belongings or home was reported for 47 percent and 40 percent, respectively, of those patients.

The researchers conclude, "Early identification and treatment of chronic, serious aggressive behavior in children and youth may prevent the development of serious injury of self and others." They add, "The effective treatment of ADHD may prevent development of conduct disorder."

Turgay A, Morgan A, Ansari R, et al.: Chronic and serious aggressive behavior in children and adolescents are commonly associated with psychiatric disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Banff, November 2002.

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter December 2002
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