Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and loneliness among adults in the general population.
Adults who score 14-plus on an ADHD screener are 2.5 times more likely to feel lonely—so check social health in every ADHD assessment.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rogers et al. (2017) asked adults in the general public to fill out two quick forms. One form counted ADHD symptoms. The other form asked how lonely they felt.
They looked at whether higher ADHD scores went hand-in-hand with feeling alone.
What they found
Adults who scored 14 or more on the ADHD checklist were 2.5 times more likely to say they were lonely. The higher the score, the stronger the loneliness.
This link showed up across the whole adult age range, not just young or old groups.
How this fits with other research
Alvarez-Fernandez et al. (2017) ran a similar 2017 survey but added adults with autism and neurotypical adults. They found adults with ADHD still felt low support, while adults with autism felt even less friend support. The ADHD-loneliness link holds; autism adds an extra layer.
Hong et al. (2021) asked kids and teens with ADHD the same kind of questions. They got the same negative result: youth with ADHD also feel less social support. The problem starts early and lasts into adulthood.
Schaaf et al. (2015) asked parents instead of the adults themselves. Parents reported fewer ADHD diagnoses than expected, hinting that some lonely adults may not even know they have ADHD.
Why it matters
If you assess adults for ADHD, tack on a one-minute loneliness question. High ADHD scores plus lonely feelings signal you should write social goals, not just attention goals. Link clients to groups, peer coaching, or online communities right away. Treat the social pain, not the charts alone.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Research on the association between adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and loneliness is scarce even though factors which have been previously linked to loneliness, such as divorce and poorer mental health may be more prevalent among adults with ADHD. This study investigated the relation between ADHD symptoms/symptom severity and loneliness in the general adult population. METHODS: Data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007 (N=7403, aged ≥16years) were analyzed. ADHD symptoms and common mental disorders (CMDs) were assessed with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener and the Clinical Interview Schedule Revised, respectively. Loneliness was measured with a question from the Social Functioning Questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, an ASRS score ≥14 was strongly associated with loneliness (OR=2.48 95%CI=1.83-3.36). ADHD symptom severity was related to loneliness in a dose-response fashion. Over one-third of the association between ADHD symptoms and loneliness was explained by CMDs. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with more ADHD symptoms are at an increased risk of feeling lonely. Future research should determine how ADHD symptoms are linked to loneliness and if loneliness is affecting well-being.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.01.007