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ADHD Medication Associated With Suicidality Rates
Medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder may be associated with lower rates of suicidality for children with ADHD with externalizing symptoms, according to recent research published by JAMA Network.
“Childhood suicidality (ie, suicidal ideation or attempts) rates are increasing, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and externalizing symptoms are common risk factors associated with suicidality,” wrote Gal Shoval, MD, Geha Mental Health Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Researchers aimed to assess the associations between childhood suicide ideation or attempts with ADHD pharmacotherapy and externalizing symptoms in this cohort study.
A total of 11,878 children with ADHD aged 9 to 10 were included in this study using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Researchers performed data analysis between November and December 2020.
At baseline, 1006 participants were being treated with ADHD medication, including methylphenidate and amphetamine derivatives, a-2-agoinsts, and atomoxetine, and 1040 patients reported past or present instances of suicidality.
Externalizing symptoms included hyperactivity ADHD symptoms, oppositional defiant, and conduct disorder symptoms.
Patients with more externalizing symptoms using ADHD medications were associated with lower rates of suicidality. Patients with more externalizing symptoms not using ADHD medications were associated with increased rates of suicidality.
“The association with medication remained even when covarying for multiple confounders, including risk and protective factors for suicidality in ADHD, and was replicated in 1-year longitudinal follow-up. Sensitivity analyses matching participants with high numbers of externalizing symptoms taking and not taking ADHD medication treatment confirmed its association with less suicidality,” Dr Shoval wrote.
The findings suggest that ADHD medication treatment for children with ADHD experiencing substantial externalizing symptoms is associated with lower rates of suicidal ideation or attempt.
“The findings reported here may provide immediate and practical implications to potentially reduce childhood suicidality,” Dr Shoval et al concluded.
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