Adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experienced sleep disorders more often, with sleep disturbances more severe, than adults with other psychiatric disorders, according to a study published in Psychiatry Research.

A research team from Spedali Civili Hospital in Brescia, Italy, investigated the prevalence and severity of sleep disorders in a sample of 634 Italian outpatients who received psychiatric services. They used the PROMIS Adult Sleep Disturbance Scale to assess for the presence of sleep disorders as well as sleep disturbance severity in participants.

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In the 44 outpatients with an ADHD diagnosis, sleep disorders were more frequent and severe comparted with other study participants, researchers reported. Among participants with ADHD, 34.1% reported no or slight sleep disturbances, 20.5% a mild sleep disorder, 38.6% a moderate sleep disorder, and 6.8% a severe sleep disorder.

Individual predictors of worse sleep disturbances included an ADHD diagnosis, psychiatric comorbidity, and history of suicide attempts, according to the study.

“Sleep disturbances might represent an intrinsic feature in adult ADHD subjects, presenting important clinical repercussions, and should be routinely evaluated and monitored in this population,” researchers advised.

Reference

Valsecchi P, Nibbio G, Rosa J, Vita A. Adult ADHD and sleep disorders: prevalence, severity and predictors of sleep disorders in a sample of Italian psychiatric outpatients. Psychiatry Res. 2022;310:114447. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114447