The Burden of ADHD in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

M. Michielsen; J. Th C.M. de Kruif; H. C. Comijs; S. van Mierlo; E. J. Semeijn; A. T.F. Beekman; D. J.H. Deeg; J. J.S. Kooij

doi:10.1177/1087054715610001

The Burden of ADHD in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

M. Michielsen^*, J. Th C.M. de Kruif, H. C. Comijs, S. van Mierlo, E. J. Semeijn, A. T.F. Beekman, D. J.H. Deeg, J. J.S. Kooij

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Objective: To explore how ADHD may have affected the lives of older adults who meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, but are unaware of their diagnosis. Our second aim was to examine whether the reported symptoms change over the life span. Method: A qualitative study was conducted. Seventeen Dutch older people (>65 years) diagnosed in this study with ADHD participated in in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed according to techniques of thematic approach. Results: Seven themes emerged from the analyses. Four themes correspond to ADHD symptoms: “being active,” “being impulsive,” “attention problems,” and “mental restlessness.” In addition, the themes “low self-esteem,” “overstepping boundaries,” and “feeling misunderstood” emerged. The impact of ADHD symptoms seems to have declined with age. Conclusion: ADHD has a negative impact on late life, and older adults with the disorder may benefit from treatment. Moreover, this study’s findings call for early detection and treatment of ADHD in children and adults.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	591-600
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	22
Issue number	6
Early online date	29 Oct 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715610001
Publication status	Published - Apr 2018

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam is largely supported by a grant from The Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, Directorate of Long-Term Care. Sandra Kooij has received unrestricted research grants for this research from Shire and for other research from Janssen-Cilag until 2010. She has been a speaker for Janssen-Cilag, Shire, and Eli Lilly until 2012. Aartjan Beekman has received grants for research from Eli Lilly, Astra Zeneca, Janssen, and Shire and as a speaker from Lundbeck and Eli Lilly.

Funders	Funder number
Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, Directorate of Long-Term Care

Keywords

ADHD
older adults
qualitative study

Access to Document

10.1177/1087054715610001

Persistent URL (handle)

Persistent link

Cite this

@article{3eee22be567b48918be66ec4c9c161dd,

title = "The Burden of ADHD in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study",

abstract = "Objective: To explore how ADHD may have affected the lives of older adults who meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, but are unaware of their diagnosis. Our second aim was to examine whether the reported symptoms change over the life span. Method: A qualitative study was conducted. Seventeen Dutch older people (>65 years) diagnosed in this study with ADHD participated in in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed according to techniques of thematic approach. Results: Seven themes emerged from the analyses. Four themes correspond to ADHD symptoms: “being active,” “being impulsive,” “attention problems,” and “mental restlessness.” In addition, the themes “low self-esteem,” “overstepping boundaries,” and “feeling misunderstood” emerged. The impact of ADHD symptoms seems to have declined with age. Conclusion: ADHD has a negative impact on late life, and older adults with the disorder may benefit from treatment. Moreover, this study{\textquoteright}s findings call for early detection and treatment of ADHD in children and adults.",

keywords = "ADHD, older adults, qualitative study",

author = "M. Michielsen and {de Kruif}, {J. Th C.M.} and Comijs, {H. C.} and {van Mierlo}, S. and Semeijn, {E. J.} and Beekman, {A. T.F.} and Deeg, {D. J.H.} and Kooij, {J. J.S.}",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2015.",

year = "2018",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1177/1087054715610001",

language = "English",

volume = "22",

pages = "591--600",

journal = "Journal of Attention Disorders",

issn = "1087-0547",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Burden of ADHD in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

AU - Michielsen, M.

AU - de Kruif, J. Th C.M.

AU - Comijs, H. C.

AU - van Mierlo, S.

AU - Semeijn, E. J.

AU - Beekman, A. T.F.

AU - Deeg, D. J.H.

AU - Kooij, J. J.S.

PY - 2018/4

Y1 - 2018/4

N2 - Objective: To explore how ADHD may have affected the lives of older adults who meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, but are unaware of their diagnosis. Our second aim was to examine whether the reported symptoms change over the life span. Method: A qualitative study was conducted. Seventeen Dutch older people (>65 years) diagnosed in this study with ADHD participated in in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed according to techniques of thematic approach. Results: Seven themes emerged from the analyses. Four themes correspond to ADHD symptoms: “being active,” “being impulsive,” “attention problems,” and “mental restlessness.” In addition, the themes “low self-esteem,” “overstepping boundaries,” and “feeling misunderstood” emerged. The impact of ADHD symptoms seems to have declined with age. Conclusion: ADHD has a negative impact on late life, and older adults with the disorder may benefit from treatment. Moreover, this study’s findings call for early detection and treatment of ADHD in children and adults.

AB - Objective: To explore how ADHD may have affected the lives of older adults who meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, but are unaware of their diagnosis. Our second aim was to examine whether the reported symptoms change over the life span. Method: A qualitative study was conducted. Seventeen Dutch older people (>65 years) diagnosed in this study with ADHD participated in in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed according to techniques of thematic approach. Results: Seven themes emerged from the analyses. Four themes correspond to ADHD symptoms: “being active,” “being impulsive,” “attention problems,” and “mental restlessness.” In addition, the themes “low self-esteem,” “overstepping boundaries,” and “feeling misunderstood” emerged. The impact of ADHD symptoms seems to have declined with age. Conclusion: ADHD has a negative impact on late life, and older adults with the disorder may benefit from treatment. Moreover, this study’s findings call for early detection and treatment of ADHD in children and adults.

KW - ADHD

KW - older adults

KW - qualitative study

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84985864728&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84985864728&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/1087054715610001

DO - 10.1177/1087054715610001

M3 - Article

C2 - 26515893

SN - 1087-0547

VL - 22

SP - 591

EP - 600

JO - Journal of Attention Disorders

JF - Journal of Attention Disorders

IS - 6

ER -

The Burden of ADHD in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this