On Jan. 13, 2025, new research identifies differing trends in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among adolescents and adults, including an increase among adults from 2020 to 2023.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with a person’s functioning and ability to perform daily activities, including at school or work. ADHD is often viewed as a condition primarily impacting childhood and adolescence; however, it can also affect adults. Research on the prevalence of ADHD in adults remains limited, with findings varying considerably.

The large retrospective cohort study, conducted by researchers at Saint Louis University and SSM Health, involved more than 140,000 adolescents and adult patients who used services with a large healthcare system located in four states. New ADHD diagnoses were identified using patient charts. Regression analysis was used to determine incidence rates and trends in ADHD diagnoses by age group.

They found a significant downward trend in ADHD incidence among adults from 2016 to 2020 and an upward trend from 2020 to 2023. Among adolescents, a significant downward trend was observed between 2016 and 2018, and the incidence rate remained stable between 2018 and 2023.

The study, published in the American Psychiatric Association Journal Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice, found a significant downward trends in ADHD incidence among adults from 2016 to 2020 and adolescents from 2016 to 2018. The ADHD incidence rate remained stable for adolescents in subsequent years.