Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predicts Homelessness in Adulthood

Follow-up studies of people with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found psychiatric and psychosocial impairments, but homelessness was not studied. Studies of homeless adults found elevated rates of ADHD, but whether they had had childhood onset was not known. Now, researchers have conducted a 33-year, prospective follow-up study of 207 white boys diagnosed with ADHD at mean age 8 years and 178 controls matched for age and socioeconomic status. Diagnoses were based on DSM-II criteria, but symptoms would fit DSM-5 criteria for ADHD, combined type. The boys did not have conduct disorder at baseline. Evaluations at mean age 41 were performed in 65% and 76% of the ADHD and comparison groups, respectively, with no differ…