Citation

Buitelaar NJ, Posthumus JA, Buitelaar JK. J. Atten. Disord. 2015; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1087054715587099

PMID

25995243

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To date, treatment programs for adult domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (IPV) have had minimal impact. To make treatment more effective, programs should be adjusted to psychopathology of the offender. As emotional lability and poor emotional self-regulation and self-control are common features of ADHD, it may play a pivotal role as a predictor for adult DV/IPV.

METHOD: This systematic review synthesizes the available evidence for childhood and/or adult ADHD being a risk factor for DV/IPV.

RESULTS: Four case control studies and three cohort studies were included in the review. Although three case control studies showed positive associations between childhood and/or adult ADHD and adult DV/IPV, two did insufficiently control for the presence of comorbid Conduct Disorder (CD) or Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).

CONCLUSION: Cohort studies identified hyperactive, impulsive, and inattention symptoms as risk factors for adult IPV. CD and ASPD were regarded as mediators in three studies.

Language: en