Evidence Based Summary of the ADHD International Consensus Statement

Posted on:September 11, 2021
Last Updated: May 3, 2022
Time to read: 12–15 minutes

The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement recently made 208 evidence-based conclusions about ADHD. [Faraone et al., 2021]. In this article, we summarise the key points for clinicians.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily characterised by inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. ADHD-related impairments continue into adolescence and young adulthood, causing academic impairment, low self-esteem, deficits in occupational outcomes, and lower adaptive functioning.

Research, however, shows that there are no meaningful differences in the IQ of adults with ADHD. [Bridgett and Walker 2006]

As such, ADHD impairs the functioning of highly intelligent people, and intelligence should not be a barrier to diagnosis.

Furthermore, impairments in working memory and other executive functioning domains such as reaction time variability, response inhibition, planning, and organisation appear to have larger deficits in children than adults. [Pievsky and McGrath 2018]

We covered the neurobiology of ADHD and diagnosis and management of ADHD in previous articles. For a clinical perspective on the evaluation of ADHD, please view the video by Dr Sanil Rege.

References