Cohort study of teenagers with ADHD

Summary

There is a lack of detailed information regarding the long term outcomes of Australian teenagers with a diagnosis of ADHD as they progress into adult life. We plan to recruit and monitor a cohort of teenagers aged 14-16, focusing on the following research areas:

Research areas

• Current mental and physical health, including social and academic functioning, interests, co-morbid diagnoses, growth and physical development
• Background including family history, presentation with ADHD and treatment history, reasons influencing decisions relating to starting pharmacological treatment
• Predictors of social dysfunction in adult life
• Recruitment for a longitudinal study through late adolescence and into adulthood, looking at social functioning including substance abuse, ongoing or cessation of pharmacological treatment, treatment side effects into adult life, ongoing mental health and co-morbidities, predictors for the development of obesity and social dysfunction

Supervisor(s)

Dr Alison Poulton

Research Location

Nepean - Nepean Clinical School

Program Type

Masters/PHD

Synopsis

We plan to recruit a representative statewide sample of adolescents with ADHD and obtain information using postal questionnaires. A subset of adolescents who agree and whose parents agree, will have more detailed assessments including growth and development and qualitative research into children's and parents perspectives of ADHD and its treatment.

Keywords

Obesity, dexamphetamine, dose titration, weight loss

Opportunity ID

The opportunity ID for this research opportunity is: 60

Other opportunities with Dr Alison Poulton

• Developing a cost-effective treatment program for obesity using dexamphetamine
• A study to investigate the efficacy of dexamphetamine compared to placebo for treating obesity complicated by obstructive sleep apnoea