ADHD Research News
New ADHD research studies referenced in this week's ADHD in the News:
- Brown, Dion, et al. (2025). “Neurodiversity in Custody: Screening Results for ADHD and Autistic Traits in Individuals Arrested by the London Metropolitan Police.” Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health: 1-7. DOI: 10.1002/cbm.70018.
- Referenced in “Half of people arrested in London may have undiagnosed ADHD, study finds (University of Cambridge, December 10, 2025)”
- Burns, G. Leonard, et al. (2025). “Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome Is Clinically Distinct from ADHD Presentations within Childhood and Adolescence.” Journal of Attention Disorders 29 (11): 963–976. DOI: 10.1177/10870547251344719.
- Referenced in “New research differentiates cognitive disengagement syndrome from ADHD in youth (PsyPost, December 7, 2025)”
- Myran, Daniel T., et al. (2025). “Population-Level Trends in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Prescribing.” JAMA Network Open 8 (12): e2548532. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.48532.
- Referenced in “ADHD prescriptions on the rise in Ontario, study finds (Medical Xpress, December 11, 2025)”
- Nivins, Samson, et al. (2025). “Digital Media, Genetics and Risk for ADHD Symptoms in Children – A Longitudinal Study.” Pediatrics Open Science, ahead of print, December 8. DOI: 10.1542/pedsos.2025-000922.
- Referenced in “Social Media Draining Kids' Ability To Concentrate, Study Argues (HealthDay, December 11, 2025)”
- Ozluk, Pelin, et al. (2025). “Effect of School Reopenings on Children’s Mental Health during COVID-19: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from California.” Epidemiology, November 20. DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001930.
- Referenced in “School reopening during COVID-19 pandemic associated with improvement in children’s mental health (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, December 8, 2025)”
- Privitera, Matteo, et al. (2025). “Game Changer: How Middle Childhood Sport Predicts Reduced Oppositional-Defiant Behavior by Early Adolescence.” European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, ahead of print, December 9. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-025-02918-z.
- Referenced in “Young adolescents participating in organized sports less likely to show oppositional-defiant behavior (News-Medical.net, December 10, 2025)”
Evidence-Based Interventions for ADHD
Evidence-Based Interventions for ADHD is a platform offering an interactive tool based on a meta-analysis of 200+ trials including 50,000+ participants with ADHD. The meta-analysis was recently published in the BMJ. Read a description of the EBI-ADHD platform in the BMJ.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults: evidence base, uncertainties and controversies
World Psychiatry, October 2025, 24(3):347-371
This paper features contributions from prominent ADHD researchers, experts, and advocates, including CHADD’s Board President Jeremy Didier, spokesperson David Goodman, and Professional Advisory Board Member Margaret Sibley. It covers a range of ADHD topics including symptoms, screening and assessment, co-occurring conditions, genetics, treatment, and access to services. In a section titled, “Perspectives from Associations of People with Lived Experience," Didier and Nina Hovén, president of ADHD Europe, share their experience living with ADHD and the need for comprehensive ADHD treatment. The information and resources CHADD provides to support adults with ADHD are mentioned. The paper appears as part of a section titled, “Forum – ADHD in Adults: Current Evidence, Controversies and Future Directions” in the October 2025 issue of World Psychiatry.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Teen Self-Report on Health Behaviors and Social-Emotional Wellbeing: United States, July 2021–December 2022
Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, March/April 2025, 46(2):p e155-e161
The authors used nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and NHIS-Teen from July 2021 to December 2022, to examine teen-reported health and well-being factors, stratified by parent-reported ADHD diagnoses among teens aged 12 to 17 years. Teens with ADHD face distinct challenges related to social-emotional well-being and health behaviors that support overall wellness. Findings may inform opportunities for health promotion among teens with ADHD.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, and Telehealth Use in Adults — National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System, United States, October–November 2023
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), October 10, 2024, 73(40);890–895
In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million U.S. adults had an ADHD diagnosis, approximately one half of whom received their diagnosis in adulthood. Approximately one third of adults with ADHD take stimulant medication; 71.5% had difficulty filling their prescription because the medication was unavailable. Approximately one half of adults with ADHD have ever used telehealth for ADHD services.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Ages 5–17 Years: United States, 2020–2022
NCHS Data Brief No. 499, March 2024
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020–2022, finds that 11.3% of children ages 5-17 in the U.S have ever been diagnosed with ADHD. See the breakdown by age group, race, ethnicity, family income, and insurance coverage at General Prevalence of ADHD.
Who Provides Outpatient Clinical Care for Adults With ADHD? Analysis of Healthcare Claims by Types of Providers Among Private Insurance and Medicaid Enrollees, 2021
Journal of Attention Disorders, March 18, 2024
This study from CDC researchers and CHADD PAB co-chair, Craig Surman, MD, finds that family practice physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners/psychiatric nurses were the most common providers for adults using employer-sponsored insurance, although the distribution of provider types varied across states. Lower percentages of adults with Medicaid received ADHD care from physicians. Approximately half of adults receiving outpatient ADHD care received ADHD care by telehealth.
ADHD medication and risk of cardiovascular diseases
Commentary by CHADD PAB member, Russell J. Schachar, MD, on Zhang et al. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases, JAMA Psychiatry, November 22, 2023.
Trends in Stimulant Prescription Fills Among Commercially Insured Children and Adults—United States, 2016-2021
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 31, 2023
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Summary:
What is already known about this topic?
Prescriptions for stimulants, primarily used to treat attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were increasing for adults before the COVID-19 pandemic. Policies enacted during the pandemic expanded access to prescription stimulants via telehealth.
What is added by this report?
The percentage of adolescent and adult females and adult males receiving prescription stimulant fills increased during 2016-2021, particularly during 2020-2021.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Growing recognition of ADHD in adults and increases in prescription stimulant fills raise questions about current adult ADHD care. Development of clinical recommendations for diagnosing and managing adult ADHD could help guide safe and appropriate stimulant prescribing. Evaluation of policies enacted during the pandemic could identify benefits and harms of those policies.