The purpose of this research was to identify risk factors for future substance abuse
(SA) and/or substance dependence (SD) among young boys with attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The prevalence of childhood ADHD among
adult substance abusers has been well documented and stimulant medication therapy is
considered to be a protective factor. However, this population remains at high risk for
developing SA disorder in adulthood. Thus, since stimulant therapy alone does not
eliminate the risk of future SA, it is important to determine other factors that contribute to
this problem in this population. The specific questions addressed in this research were 1)
What risk factors predict SA problems in later life for adolescent boys who were
diagnosed with ADHD? ; 2) Do boys diagnosed with ADHD and receiving stimulant
medication have the same risk factors for SA as undiagnosed/unmedicated (normal)
boys? and 3) Is the medication effect at reducing SA in later years dependent or
independent of the response to the pharmacological treatment for behavioral symptoms of
ADHD? This study evaluated data collected in a longitudinal study (1968 to present) of
boys diagnosed with ADHD at the University of Iowa Hospital outpatient psychiatric
clinic. Longitudinal regression and odds-ratios were used to measure the strength of
correlation of risk factors to adult SD outcomes in three groups: diagnosed medicated
boys, diagnosed unmedicated boys and a comparison group of undiagnosed, unmedicated
(normal) boys. It was hypothesized that specific risk factors could be identified in the
two groups of diagnosed boys (medicated and unmedicated). It was further hypothesized
that poor response to medication would predict higher rates of adult substance abuse. and