Symptoms of Anxiety in Adults with ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies.
Jessica I Hoskins, Debbie Gooch, Katie A Gilligan-Lee
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined anxiety scores in adults with ADHD compared to controls, analyzing data from 58 studies involving 18,821 participants. The findings revealed a medium effect size of 0.77, indicating that adults with ADHD experience significantly higher anxiety levels than those without. The type of comparison group was the only significant moderator identified.
Key findings
- The average effect size of anxiety scores in adults with ADHD was 0.77.
- Comparisons to non-clinical controls yielded a larger effect size of 0.954.
- Comparisons to clinical controls showed a smaller effect size of 0.437.
- Evidence of publication bias was noted, suggesting caution in interpretation.
Why it matters
Understanding the relationship between ADHD and anxiety is crucial for clinicians, as it highlights the need for comprehensive assessments and potential co-occurrence of these conditions, which can significantly impact treatment outcomes and patient quality of life.
What to keep in mind
There was some evidence of publication bias, which may affect the reliability of the results.