Age at First Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis and Educational Outcomes

Is age at first attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis associated with educational outcomes?In this cohort study of 580 132 individuals, earlier age at ADHD diagnosis was associated with better grade point average at age 16 years, higher probability of academic than vocational studies, and lower probability of school dropout at age 20 years compared with diagnosis during the last years of compulsory basic education.The findings suggest that earlier ADHD diagnosis is associated with better educational outcomes, while individuals first diagnosed toward the end of compulsory education may be at high risk of school dropout.

Corresponding Author: Lotta Volotinen, MSc, Helsinki Institute for Demography and Population Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 16, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland (lotta.volotinen@helsinki.fi).

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