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Cannabis use in early ADHD, a 3-years follow-up study in relations to clinical characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

L.R. Kvitland*
Affiliation:
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department Of Mental Health, Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Trondheim, Norway
H. Moa
Affiliation:
Orkanger BUP, Bup Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Orkanger, Norway
J. Schei
Affiliation:
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department Of Mental Health, Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Trondheim, Norway
S. Lydersen
Affiliation:
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department Of Mental Health, Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Trondheim, Norway
P. Thomsen
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital Psychiatry, Department Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus N, Denmark
I. Mundal
Affiliation:
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department Of Mental Health, Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Trondheim, Norway
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

ADHD is known to increase the risk of substance use, and is associated with lower degrees of education, criminal behavior and neuropsychic difficulties. Previous research is limited by small samples, variable findings, and short follow-up time. Earlier research tends to be limited to substance use above the threshold for abuse or dependency.

Objectives

This study aims at looking at the effects of cannabis use both over and under threshold for abuse or dependency in relations to clinical characteristics over a 3-year follow-up period.

Methods

At follow up a total of 203 patients were diagnosed with ADHD either as primary of as secondary diagnosis, of those 57 (28,1%) had lifetime use of cannabis (LUC), mean age at inclusion was 15 and half years old and 40% were of female sex. SPSS (v.29) were used to perform independent sample t-tests to test for effects and Hierarchical block-wise regressions were done to check for confounding variables.

Results

Lifetime cannabis use was associated with lower global functioning (p=0.000), increased risk of suicidal ideation (p=0.007), more suicide attempts (p=0.049), more self-reported symptoms (p=0.001), more school drop-out (p=0.000) and with psychotic features (p=0.024). Even after testing for know confounders such as female sex and age LUC explained significant variance.

Conclusions

LUC is associated with increased functional and clinical characteristics. The findings are discussed in relationship with clinical practice and limitations of the study.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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