THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Drugs for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) effectively improve the quality of life of people with the disorder, according to a recent study published in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Alessio Bellato, Ph.D., of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the effects of ADHD medications on quality of life.
Based on 17 randomized controlled trials (5,388 participants), the researchers found that amphetamines (Hedge’s G = 0.51), methylphenidate (Hedge’s G = 0.38) and atomoxetine (Hedge’s G = 0.30) were significantly more effective than placebo in improving the quality of life of people with ADHD, with moderate effect sizes. These effects were not moderated by the duration of the atomoxetine intervention and did not differ between children/adolescents and adults.
“It may be that reducing the core symptoms of ADHD (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) leads to more efficient task performance, and this translates to better academic and occupational outcomes,” Bellato said in a statement. “Medications may also help stabilize emotional dysregulation, which could promote emotional well-being and higher self-esteem.”
One author revealed connections to the pharmaceutical industry.
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