Does Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder increase the risk of suicide attempts?

ObjectiveTo determine if Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for suicide attempts.MethodsData were drawn from the National Comorbidity Replication Survey (NCS-R), a nationally representative sample of adults (N = 8098).ResultsOf the 365 adults with current ADHD, 16% attempted suicide. After controlling for the presence of comorbid disorders, logistic regression analyses revealed that the ADHD was not a not a strong predictor of suicide attempts; having one or more comorbid disorders was associated with fourfold to twelvefold elevated risk.LimitationsThe small sample size of respondents with ADHD who attempted suicide significantly reduced the probability of determining which specific comorbid disorders were correlated with parasuicide.ConclusionsEarly treatment of ADHD and comorbidity may reduce the risk of suicide attempts and improve its prognosis.