Subtypes of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Cannabis Use

Abstract

The current study examined the association between subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cannabis use within a sample of 2811 current users. Data were collected in 2012 from a national U.S. survey of cannabis users. A series of logistic regression equations and chi-squares were assessed for proportional differences between users. When asked about the ADHD symptoms they have experienced when not using cannabis, a higher proportion of daily users met symptom criteria for an ADHD diagnoses of the subtypes that include hyperactive–impulsive symptoms than the inattentive subtype. For nondaily users, the proportions of users meeting symptom criteria did not differ by subtype. These results have implications for identifying which individuals with ADHD might be more likely to self-medicate using cannabis. Furthermore, these findings indirectly support research linking relevant cannabinoid receptors to regulatory control.

Keywords:

• Cannabis use
• ADHD subtypes
• substance use

THE AUTHORS

Mallory Loflin, M.A., is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Her research interests generally focus on factors predicting differences in risk for substance-related problem development. Mallory earned her master's degree in 2013. Her thesis explored how olfactory cues impact reports of subjective craving to marijuana among nontreatment seeking users.

Dr. Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D., is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York, where he teaches drugs and human behavior, substance abuse treatment, and clinical research methods. His research funding has come from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, and the Marijuana Policy Project. He serves on the editorial boards of four psychology journals, reviews for over a dozen, and has more than 100 publications on drug use and abuse.

Joseph De Leo, M.A., is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research focuses broadly on investigating etiological factors underlying addictive behaviors, with particular emphasis on the interaction between personality and mood states. He completed his clinical internship at the Medical University of South Carolina and accepted a postdoctoral position at the Stress, Health, and Addictions Research Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is currently engaged in clinical research assessing the feasibility of a brief telehealth intervention for alcohol misuse patients in primary care. In addition, he is involved in the development of a group behavioral activation treatment for dual-diagnosed individuals with depression and substance use disorders.

Andrea Hobkirk, Ph.D., completed her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York in 2013. Her clinical work and research focused broadly on mental health, coping, and substance use, and their influence on clinical outcomes among chronic illness populations. Andrea's dissertation examined depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment among individuals living with HIV. She completed her clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center and accepted a postdoctoral position in the Duke University Global Health Institute. Her current research examines the impact of substance use on clinical outcomes, including brain structure and function, among individuals living with HIV in South Africa and the United States.