Social function of adult men with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the context of military service

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the characteristics of adult men with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on social outcomes with particular focus on social function in the context of military service.

Subjects and methods

Eighty-nine adult male outpatients diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood were included in this retrospective chart review study. Participants were divided into two groups: “military service group (MS)” (those who had completed military duty) and “nonmilitary service group (NMS)” (those who were exempted from conscription or engaged in public service). MS included 50 subjects and NMS included 39 subjects. The age at first ADHD diagnosis, intelligence quotient (IQ), occupation, and psychiatric comorbidities were compared between the two groups.

Results

The age at first diagnosis, IQ, and number of employed participants were significantly higher in MS than in NMS. NMS had significantly more psychiatric comorbidities than those in MS. In both groups, depression was the most common psychiatric comorbidity. Logistic regression analysis showed that the subjects’ IQ, psychiatric comorbidity, and age at first diagnosis were determinants of military duty completion.

Conclusion

The results strongly suggested that IQ and psychiatric comorbidities are the most crucial factors affecting military service in male adults with ADHD, independent of ADHD.

Keywords:

• ADHD
• mandatory
• army
• occupation

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Su-Jin Jung of the Statistical Support Department of Kyung Hee University Hospital for assistance with the statistical analysis. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2017R1C1B1011036). The corresponding authors had full access to all the data in the study and assume final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.

Author contributions

GHB, GMN, and SML were responsible for the study concept and article design. GHB and GMN collected and analyzed the data. GMN and GHB helped in writing the draft. All authors approved the final manuscript and agreement with submission. All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and revising the paper and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest related to this work.