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Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights distinct health and social-emotional challenges faced by teens diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study, published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, offers critical insights directly from the teens themselves, providing a unique view often missed when relying solely on parent or clinical reports.
Researchers analyzed nationally representative data from July 2021 through December 2022, comparing self-reported experiences of teens aged 12 to 17 with and without ADHD. Approximately 10% of teenagers had an ADHD diagnosis, and the findings reveal specific areas where teens with ADHD face notable difficulties.
Teenagers with ADHD reported significantly higher rates of bullying victimization and struggles in making friends compared to their peers. Surprisingly, they were less likely to report a lack of peer support, suggesting complexities in how they perceive friendships and social networks. The study underscores the importance of directly engaging teens in assessing their social relationships, rather than solely relying on parental perspectives.
Sleep difficulties emerged as another critical issue for teens with ADHD. About 80% reported problems like difficulty waking up and irregular wake times, markedly higher than their non-ADHD counterparts. Such disruptions can exacerbate attention difficulties and emotional regulation issues, further complicating daily life for these teens.
Excessive screen time also stood out, with nearly two-thirds of teens with ADHD spending over four hours daily on screens, excluding schoolwork. This high screen usage is concerning, given its potential negative impact on physical and mental health, including sleep quality and social interactions.
Notably, the study found no significant differences in physical activity levels or concerns about weight between teens with and without ADHD. This finding contrasts with previous studies that have highlighted lower physical activity among children with ADHD, suggesting the need for continued research on how physical activity is measured and encouraged in this population.
The study’s authors emphasize the importance of health promotion interventions tailored specifically for teens with ADHD. By directly engaging teens and considering their unique perspectives, interventions can better address social-emotional well-being and healthy lifestyle behaviors, ultimately improving long-term outcomes for this vulnerable group.
Overall, this research provides compelling evidence for healthcare providers, educators, and families to focus on supporting teens with ADHD in areas of social skills, sleep hygiene, and healthy screen time habits. Such targeted support can significantly enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for adolescents navigating the challenges of ADHD.
Katz, S. M., Claussen, A. H., Black, L. I., Leeb, R. T., Newsome, K., Danielson, M. L., & Zablotsky, B. (2025). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Teen Self-Report on Health Behaviors and Social-Emotional Wellbeing: United States, July 2021–December 2022. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 46(2), e155–e161. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000001350.
Drivers with ADHD are far more likely to be involved in crashes, to be at fault in crashes,to be in severe crashes, and to be killed in crashes. The more severe the ADHD symptoms, the higher the risk. Moreover, ADHD is often accompanied by comorbid conditions such as oppositional-defiant disorder, depression, and anxiety that further increase the risk.
What can be done to reduce this risk? A group of experts has offered the following consensus recommendations:
· Use stimulant medications. While there is no reliable evidence on whether non-stimulant medications are of any benefit for driving, there is solid evidence that stimulant medications are effective in reducing risk. But there is also a rebound effect in many individuals after the medication wears off, in which performance actually becomes worse than if had been prior to medication. It is therefore important to time the taking of medication so that its period of effectiveness corresponds with driving times. If one has to drive right after waking up, it makes sense to take a rapid acting form. The same holds for late night driving that may require a quick boost.
· Use a stick shift vehicle wherever possible. Stick shifts make drivers pay closer attention than automatic transmissions. The benefits in alertness are most notable in city traffic. But using a stick shift is far less beneficial in highway driving, where shifting is less frequent.
· Avoid cruise control. Highways can be monotonous, making drivers more prone to boredom and distraction. That is even more true for those with ADHD, so it is best to keep cruise control turned off.
· Avoid alcohol. Drinking and driving is a bad idea for everyone, but, once again, it's even worse for those with ADHD. Parents should consider a no-questions-asked policy of either picking up their teenager anytime and anywhere, or setting up an account with a ride-sharing service.· Place the smartphone out of reach and hearing. Cell phone use is as about as likely to impair as alcohol. Hands-free devices only reduce this risk moderately, because they continue to distract. Texting can be deadly. Sending a short text or emoticon can be the equivalent of driving 100 yards with one's eyes closed. Either turn on Do Not Disturb mode, or, for even greater effectiveness, place the smart phone in the trunk.
· Make use of automotive performance monitors. These can keep track of maximum speeds and sudden acceleration and braking, to verify that a teenager is not engaging in risky behaviors.
· Take advantage of graduated driver's licensing laws wherever available. These laws forbid the presence of peers in the vehicle for the first several (for example, six) months of driving. Parents can extend that period for teenagers with ADHD, or set it as a condition in states that lack such laws.
· Encourage practicing after obtaining a learner's permit. Teenagers with ADHD generally require more practice than those without. A pre-drive checklist can be a good place to start. For example:check the gas, check the mirrors, make sure the view through the windows is unobstructed, put cell phone in Do Not Disturb mode and place it out of reach, put on seat belt, scan for obstacles.
· Consider outsourcing. Look for a driving school with a professional to teach good driving skills and habits.
Experts do not agree on whether to delay licensing for those with ADHD. On the one hand, teenagers with ADHD are 3-4 years behind in the development of brain areas responsible for executive functions that help control impulses and better guide behavior. Delaying licensing can reduce risk by about 20 percent. On the other hand, teens with ADHD are more likely to drive without a license, and no one wants to encourage that, however inadvertently. Moreover, graduated driver's licensing laws only have legal effect on teens who get their licenses at the customary age.
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A recent Finnish study offers important insights into how symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in adolescence can shape academic performance, and even influence educational outcomes well into adulthood. Children and teens with ODD often show a pattern of angry, irritable moods, arguing with adults, and defying rules or requests. They may lose their temper easily, be quick to blame others for mistakes, and deliberately annoy people.
The researchers followed participants from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort of 1986, a large, population-based study. They looked at over 6,000 teens whose parents reported symptoms of ADHD and ODD when the children were 15–16 years old. The team then tracked their academic performance at age 16 and their highest level of education by age 32.
ADHD is well-known for affecting school performance, often linked to difficulties with attention, impulse control, and executive functioning. ODD, characterized by patterns of irritability, defiance, and hostility toward authority figures, is less studied in this context, especially when it appears without ADHD.
The study found that both disorders, whether occurring separately or in combination, were associated with poorer grades at age 16. However, teens with ADHD symptoms performed worse than those with only ODD symptoms. Interestingly, students with both ADHD and ODD symptoms had the most pronounced academic struggles, but their performance didn’t significantly differ from the ADHD-only group at that age.
By age 32, the effects were even more striking. Participants with both ADHD and ODD symptoms were the least likely to attend or graduate from higher education institutions. Only about 10% of them reached that level, compared to over 40% of those without these symptoms.
Even after accounting for other influences, such as parental education, family structure, and additional psychiatric conditions, the findings held. This suggests that the combination of ADHD and ODD symptoms in adolescence may uniquely disrupt the educational path.
For adolescent girls with ODD symptoms, the impact was particularly notable: they were significantly more likely to complete only the mandatory nine years of schooling.
These results underscore the lasting effects that behavioral and emotional challenges in adolescence can have. While schools often focus on immediate academic outcomes, this study highlights the importance of early identification and support, not just for ADHD but for ODD as well.
Parents and educators play a crucial role in shaping future outcomes for children and adolescents with ADHD. Recognizing early signs of attention problems, emotional dysregulation, or defiance—and responding with appropriate interventions—could help redirect educational trajectories and open up opportunities down the line.
In short, it’s not just about managing classroom behavior. It’s about supporting long-term potential. When ADHD and ODD symptoms show up in adolescence, they don’t just make school harder—they can limit a student’s entire educational future. Early support and understanding can make a lasting difference.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common condition affecting children and adolescents worldwide, characterized by symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. While traditional treatments like medication and behavioral therapy are often used, some individuals are turning to complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) for help. One such option gaining attention is acupuncture. But does it really work for ADHD?
A recent comprehensive study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating ADHD symptoms. Here’s a breakdown of the findings, with a focus on the age groups included in the research and what these findings could mean for ADHD treatment options.
The study in question conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (SR/MA) of acupuncture trials for ADHD, comparing its effects to traditional treatments such as pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy. The researchers focused on acupuncture’s impact on core ADHD symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and conduct problems, while also exploring how acupuncture might help with other issues, such as learning difficulties and psychosomatic symptoms.
One key feature of this study was the inclusion of a broad age range of participants, specifically children and adolescents. These two groups are the most commonly diagnosed with ADHD, and their responses to treatments can vary significantly. Understanding how acupuncture works for these age groups is critical for evaluating its effectiveness as an ADHD treatment.
Here’s what the study found across the different age groups:
Despite these promising results, the study also highlighted several limitations:
In short, and as is so often the way of evidence-based medicine, we still can’t say with absolute certainty one way or the other. These studies may show promise in improving hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and conduct problems– in both children and adolescents. However, the evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend it as a primary treatment. While it may serve as a helpful complement to standard therapies, especially for those struggling with medication side effects or access to behavioral therapy, more research is needed to establish its effectiveness.
Background:
There are currently few long-term treatment options for adult ADHD. Psychostimulants can help reduce symptoms, but their benefits rely on availability, continued use, and are not easily tolerated by some. Cognitive-behavioral therapies have also proven to be helpful, but access is limited because they must be provided by trained specialists. These challenges highlight the need to explore alternative interventions that could provide cognitive and behavioral improvements with fewer side effects.
Exercise has shown potential as a nonclinical intervention for ADHD. Previous research indicates that physical activity can increase cortical volume, enhance brain activation, and boost connectivity in cognitive regions, as well as raise dopamine and norepinephrine levels – effects similar to psychostimulants. Research in children and teens with ADHD has found that both regular exercise programs and even single workout sessions can improve executive functions (mental skills like planning and self-control) and reduce core ADHD symptoms. But whether exercise helps adults with ADHD has remained an open question.
Study:
A Chinese sports medicine research team set out to answer this by reviewing all available peer-reviewed studies on exercise and adult ADHD. They found so few studies on regular exercise programs – only four total, and three of those were small pilot studies just testing whether the approach was feasible – that they couldn’t draw firm conclusions about long-term exercise interventions.
However, they were able to analyze four moderate-to-high-quality studies involving 152 adults with ADHD that tested single exercise sessions. The combined results showed moderate improvements in inhibitory control (the ability to resist impulses and stay focused). Adults not taking medication showed large improvements.
When they looked at four studies involving 170 adults, they found small but consistent improvements in core ADHD symptoms after single exercise sessions. There was little to no variation (heterogeneity) in individual study outcomes, and no sign of publication bias.
Results:
The team concluded, “Overall, these findings offer preliminary evidence on the potential role of exercise as a helpful strategy in the management of adult ADHD,” but cautioned that more well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the efficacy of both acute and chronic exercise interventions for adult ADHD, with particular emphasis placed on determining the best “prescription” for exercise – what type, how intense, and how often.
They also noted that most existing research has focused narrowly on attention and impulse control, while other important mental abilities like working memory and mental flexibility remain largely unexplored.
Take-Away:
The takeaway here is practical and accessible: you don't need a long-term fitness program to get a cognitive bump from exercise if you have ADHD. Even a single session appears to help — particularly with impulse control. While the research base is still thin and we don't yet know the ideal exercise "prescription," the risk-benefit calculation is hard to argue with. For adults with ADHD who can't access medication or therapy, or who simply want an additional tool, breaking a sweat may be worth building into the routine.
Background:
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) means intentionally hurting yourself without trying to end your life. Common examples include cutting, scratching, or burning yourself. This behavior is most common in teenagers, affecting 13-20% of adolescents. It’s also called self-harm or deliberate self-injury.
Young people who struggle with managing emotions, act impulsively, or have mental health conditions like depression are more likely to self-harm.
Because ADHD involves impulsivity and often occurs alongside emotional difficulties, researchers have suspected a link between ADHD and self-injury. However, previous studies have tended to be small, unrepresentative, and inconsistent, making it hard to draw clear conclusions.
The Study:
Researchers combined results from 14 different studies involving nearly 30,000 people to get a clearer picture. They looked at children, teenagers, and adults with ADHD from various settings—including hospitals, community programs, and general population studies.
To be included, studies had to confirm ADHD diagnosis through professional evaluation or validated testing methods.
Key findings
Conclusion:
The researchers concluded that roughly one in four people with ADHD have engaged in non-suicidal self-harm. The findings suggest that ADHD and self-harm share overlapping vulnerabilities.
Overall, this meta-analysis strengthens evidence that people with ADHD face a significantly elevated risk of non-suicidal self-injury, likely reflecting overlapping challenges with impulsivity, emotional regulation, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Importantly, this does not mean self-harm is inevitable in ADHD. It does, however, highlight the need for early screening, supportive environments, and targeted mental-health care to help reduce risk and support healthier coping strategies.
Background:
While ADHD is generally linked to negative childhood outcomes, individual variability exists. Researchers have found that factors like cognition, emotion, parenting, and social interactions can help some adversity-exposed children develop better than expected. This variability has driven extensive resilience research, which now views resilience not as a single trait, but as a combination of biological, psychological, social, and ecological processes supporting adaptation.
The Study:
This meta-analysis sought to address several key research gaps. First, while many potential resilience factors have been identified, no previous meta-analysis has quantitatively synthesized evidence focused specifically on children with ADHD. Second, relatively little research has clarified how particular resilience factors relate to specific developmental outcomes. Third, there is currently no integrated conceptual model of resilience processes tailored to children and adolescents with ADHD.
To keep the analysis focused and clinically relevant, the authors examined psychosocial and ecological resilience factors only. Biological factors (such as genetics or cardiovascular health) and non-modifiable demographic characteristics (such as age and sex) were excluded, as they do not readily inform interventions. The analysis also focused strictly on outcomes for children and adolescents with ADHD, excluding adult outcomes and those reported for parents or teachers. Only studies based on clinical ADHD diagnoses were included.
In total, 28 studies involving more than 11,600 participants met the inclusion criteria. Fifteen studies were rated as high quality and 13 as fair quality; none were rated low quality. However, the evidence base was relatively thin for many analyses. Of the 50 components examined, only one included five studies, six included four studies, ten included three studies, and most (33) were based on just two studies. While some components involved large samples, most did not, meaning the findings should be viewed as suggestive rather than definitive.
Results:
Unsurprisingly, academic skills and cognitive functioning – specifically including working memory and intelligence – were strongly associated with better educational outcomes for children and adolescents with ADHD. In contrast, social skills and proactive attitudes or behaviors showed no significant link to educational attainment.
Well-being outcomes showed a different pattern. Proactive attitudes and behaviors, cognitive functioning, and parental resources were associated with small-to-moderate improvements in well-being. Emotional regulation and positive parenting or attachment, however, were not significantly related to well-being in this analysis.
For relationship outcomes, peer relationships – especially close friendships – stood out as particularly important, showing strong associations with better relational functioning. Social skills and positive parenting or attachment were linked to moderate improvements, although positive parenting alone had no significant effect. This suggests that the observed benefit likely stemmed from parental warmth and secure parent–child attachment rather than parenting practices in isolation. Parental resources (such as parental social support) and school-based support (including student–teacher relationships) showed no significant association with relationship outcomes.
The study also examined behavioral symptoms. Externalizing symptoms refer to outward-directed behaviors that affect others or the environment, such as aggression, defiance, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and rule-breaking. Peer relationships were linked to a modest reduction in these behaviors, while positive relationships with adults were associated with a strong reduction. In contrast, disciplinary parenting – particularly harsh punishment – was strongly associated with increased externalizing symptoms.
Internalizing symptoms involve inward-directed distress, such as anxiety, depression, withdrawal, excessive worry, and unexplained physical complaints. Here again, positive relationships with adults were important, showing a moderate association with fewer internalizing symptoms. Emotional regulation was also linked to small-to-moderate improvements.
Conclusion:
Overall, the findings highlight that resilience factors tend to be closely tied to specific outcomes rather than broadly protective across domains. For example, emotional regulation was associated with lower levels of both internalizing and externalizing symptoms but showed no significant link to well-being, educational achievement, or relationship quality. This suggests that emotional regulation may play a particularly important role in protecting mental health in children with ADHD, rather than driving broader developmental gains – consistent with evidence that emotional dysregulation is a core difficulty in ADHD.
Similarly, academic skills, social competence, and prosocial behaviors were linked mainly to their most closely related outcomes. Cognitive functioning was associated with both educational and well-being outcomes, but its impact was much stronger in education and more modest for well-being. Together, these context-specific patterns underscore the importance of designing interventions that target particular resilience factors with strategies tailored to specific developmental goals, rather than assuming that any single factor will promote resilience across all areas of life.
Key takeaway: resilience is individual and resilience isn’t one trait; different types of support help different individuals, in different areas.
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