Differences in Characteristics/Complaints and Referral of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Patients with and without Depression: Focus on Korean Children and Adolescents / 우울ㆍ조울병

ABSTRACT

Background@#Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression present with different clinical characteristics compared to those without other psychiatric comorbidities (i.e., ADHD alone). This study aimed to determine the differences in clinical characteristics, complaints, and referral routes between patients with ADHD with and without depression. @*Methods@#The study included 1,231 children and adolescents in Korea. The demographic characteristics, referral routes, and chief complaints were identified and analyzed using the subjects’ electronic medical records of their first outpatient visit. @*Results@#The mean age and proportion of female subjects with depression and ADHD (ADHD-D, n=120) were significantly higher than those of patients with ADHD alone (ADHD-O, n=1,111). Furthermore, referral requests by the caregiver (p=0.037) and patient (p=0.006) were significantly higher in the ADHD-D group. In contrast, referrals via schools (p=0.009) and other medical institutions (p<0.001) were significantly higher in the ADHD-O group. There were more complaints of depression, anxiety, mood dysregulation, suicidal ideation, and self-harm behaviors among the patients in the ADHD-D group. However, complaints of inattention were more common among the patients in the ADHD-O group compared to those in the ADHD-D group (p<0.001). @*Conclusion@#This study revealed several differences in the demographic characteristics, referral routes, and chief complaints of the patients and caregivers between patients with ADHD with and without coexisting depression. Further investigations using structured psychiatric diagnostic tools are warranted.