Adult ADHD
Visual Abstract
The association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with socioeconomic disadvantage: alternative explanations and evidence
Socioeconomic status and ADHD risk
Ginny Russell, Tamsin Ford, Rachel Rosenberg, Susan Kelly
Summarized by:
April 22, 2023
study source
J Clin Psychol Psychiatry
May 2014
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What they studied
Researchers gathered data from children in the UK over time to understand more about the link between ADHD and socioeconomic status.
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What they found
Children in low-income and single-parent households had a much higher risk of ADHD. Meanwhile, college-educated mothers had a much lower chance of having children with ADHD.
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What this means
While genetics does play a significant role in ADHD, upbringing plays a key role as well. This study demonstrates that parental and household factors can significantly alter ADHD risk.
The association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with socioeconomic disadvantage: alternative explanations and evidence
Background
Previous studies have shown a link between socioeconomic status and ADHD risk. This study aimed to dive deeper to get more information on this link and to see what might be causing it.
Study Quote
Studies throughout Northern Europe, the United States and Australia have found an association between childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and family socioeconomic disadvantage. We report further evidence for the association and review potential causal pathways that ...
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Method
The study used an extensive data set from the United Kingdom that followed participants from birth. This allowed them to gather data at different times to see how families and participants with ADHD changed over time. This study was a secondary analysis of a data set that had already been collected for other purposes.
The study measured ADHD rates by asking parents to report whether their child has been diagnosed with ADHD by a medical professional.
Study Quote
Secondary analysis of a UK birth cohort (the Millennium Cohort Study, N = 19,519) was used to model the association of ADHD with socioeconomic disadvantage and assess evidence for several potential explanatory pathways. The case definition of ADHD was a parent-report of whether ADHD had ...
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Results
The data confirmed a strong link between household income and having kids with ADHD.
Children with ADHD are much more likely to come from lower-income households.
One theory for this link has been the possibility that caring for kids with ADHD may reduce household income from medical expenses and extra time needed from parents.
The data in the chart below shows that this probably is not the case, as households with children with ADHD tend to grow in income at similar rates as households without children with ADHD.
ADHD was associated with a lower household income. However, having kids with ADHD did not reduce income growth over time.
Parents, particularly mothers, had a potentially protective effect against the development of ADHD.
Households where the mother went to college, had a dramatically lower risk of having a child with ADHD.
Meanwhile, single-parent households had around twice the risk of having a child with ADHD.
Children from low-income and single-parent households are at a higher risk of developing ADHD. Children with college-educated mothers have half the chance.
Study Quote
ADHD was associated with a range of indicators of social and economic disadvantage including poverty, housing tenure, maternal education, income, lone parenthood and younger motherhood. There was no evidence to suggest childhood ADHD was a causal factor of socioeconomic disadvantage: inc...
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Conclusion
Our general understanding is that differences in the brain and genetics primarily drive ADHD.
However, based on this study and other similar studies, we are starting to learn that upbringing and the environment can play a role in ADHD risk as well.
Study Quote
Although genetic and neurological determinants may be the primary predictors of difficulties with activity level and attention, aetiology appears to be influenced by socioeconomic situation.