Adult ADHD Marked by Emotional Self-Control Difficulties

In a recent systematic review, the association between emotion dysregulation and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults has been extensively explored. The review, which followed PRISMA guidelines, aimed to synthesise the current evidence on the nature, neurobiology, and clinical implications of emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD.

The review included studies that utilised various measures to assess ADHD symptoms and emotion regulation. These studies had diverse samples, encompassing different gender distributions, ADHD subtypes, medication status, and psychiatric comorbidities. The majority of participants were recruited from clinical settings.

Emotion dysregulation, a common feature in adults with ADHD, was found to be linked with greater symptom severity, executive dysfunction, and functional impairment. Adults with ADHD tend to employ more maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as emotional suppression.

The neuroimaging findings suggest differences in the neural circuitry underlying emotional processing and regulation in ADHD, requiring further investigation. Some neuroimaging studies found abnormal activation patterns in brain regions involved in emotion regulation in adults with ADHD compared to controls.

However, the review came with limitations. Substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies in sample characteristics and measures used. Small sample sizes were common in many studies, and the existing research lacked accounting for comorbidities. Emotion dysregulation was measured only by self-report in most studies, which could potentially introduce bias.

The results of this review underscore the importance of assessing and treating emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD. Pharmacological and psychosocial interventions targeting emotion regulation in ADHD appear promising but require further evaluation in controlled trials.

Notably, investigations into emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD have been conducted by research groups focusing on affective dysregulation, such as the ADOPT consortium led by the University Hospital Cologne in collaboration with several German university clinics. Additionally, Professor Sven Barnow at Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg leads research on the neurobiology and psychological aspects of emotion regulation relevant to ADHD and other disorders.

Cross-sectional designs preclude causal inferences, and future research should aim to address these limitations to provide a more comprehensive understanding of emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD. Despite these limitations, the review provides valuable insights into the impact of emotion dysregulation on adults with ADHD and paves the way for future research in this area.