Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Intervention as crime prevention.

Abstract

A disproportionate number of individuals with ADHD are represented in the population of incarcerated youth and adults. Although the predictive relationship between ADHD diagnoses and later delinquency is well established, very little information is available on the outcome of youth in terms of delinquency who received various interventions for ADHD. As such it is relatively unknown, but often assumed, that intervention for ADHD symptoms also prevents later criminal activity and thus incarceration and recidivism. The purpose of this paper was to examine the relevant literature in the areas of ADHD and delinquency intervention, illuminating this potentially important gap, and to provide possible future research directions to help clarify the issue. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder in children today (Rowland, Lesesne, & Abramowitz, 2002; Visser, Lesesne, & Perou, 2007). As such, the implications of successful treatment of the disorder and prevention of related detrimental outcomes are paramount. Although there are differences in the behavioral topography of symptoms between children and adults (Kessler et al., 2006), it is clear that manifestations of the same diagnostic criteria are present in children and adults diagnosed with ADHD, particularly in the area of executive function and related self-regulation and self-control (Barkley, 1997; Biederman et al., 2006b). Adult manifestations of symptoms typically relate to deficits in self-regulation often expressed through increased likelihood of divorce, arrest, job loss, and poor money management when compared to the general population (Biederman et al., 2006a; Kessler et al., 2006). Of particular interest for our purpose is the relationship between ADHD diagnosis and increased risk of delinquency.