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The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in adult ADHD compared with non-ADHD populations: A systematic literature review

Won-Seok Choi, Young Sup Woo, Sheng‐Min Wang, Hyun Kook Lim, Won‐Myong Bahk · 2022 · 211 citationsRead the paper

Comorbid psychiatric disorders in adults with ADHD are important because these comorbidities might complicate the diagnosis of ADHD and also worsen the prognosis. However, the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders in adult ADHD varies according to the diagnostic tools used and the characteristics of target populations. The purpose of this review was to describe the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders in adults with ADHD compared with adults without ADHD. Thirty-two studies published before August 2022 were identified and classified according to diagnosis of other psychiatric disorder in those with ADHD. The most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder in the ADHD group was substance use disorder (SUD), followed by mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. The prevalence of these four disorders was higher in the ADHD group, whether or not subjects were diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders. In addition, the diversity of ADHD diagnostic tools was observed. This also might have affected the variability in prevalence of comorbidities. Standardization of ADHD diagnostic tools is necessary in the future.

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Shown in the lab
  • Substance use disorder (SUD) was the most frequent comorbidity in adults with ADHD. — 2.3% to 41.2% in general population; 10.0% to 82.9% in clinical population (Adults with ADHD)
  • Depressive disorders prevalence was higher in ADHD groups than non-ADHD groups. — 8.6% to 55% (ADHD) vs 1.2% to 12.5% (non-ADHD) in general population (General population)
  • Bipolar disorder prevalence was higher in ADHD groups than non-ADHD groups. — 4.48% to 35.3% (ADHD) vs 0.2% to 3.6% (non-ADHD) in general population (General population)
  • Anxiety disorders prevalence was higher in ADHD groups than non-ADHD groups. — 4.3% to 47.1% (ADHD) vs 0.5% to 9.5% (non-ADHD) in general population (General population)
  • Personality disorders prevalence was higher in ADHD groups than non-ADHD groups. — 0.31% to 33.8% (ADHD) vs 0% to 3.9% (non-ADHD) in general population (General population)
  • Adult ADHD prevalence varied by population type. — 1.1% to 8.8% in general population; 5.12% to 35.75% in psychiatric population (Adults)
Setup
32 studies identified from PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PsycNET, and Google Scholar.
How
Systematic literature review of 32 studies published between 2006 and 2022 following PRISMA guidelines. The authors compared prevalence rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders between adult ADHD and non-ADHD groups across general, clinical, and incarcerated populations.
Limitations
Significant heterogeneity in diagnostic tools prevented meta-analysis. · Most studies were conducted in high-income regions (Europe and North America). · Lack of differentiation by treatment status of patients. · Cross-sectional design prevents inference of causal relationships.

Summarized by Gemma 4 from the open-access full text · 8 Oct 2026. Read it