B. Horner et al., COCAINE ABUSE AND ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER - IMPLICATIONS OF ADULT SYMPTOMATOLOGY, Psychology of addictive behaviors, 10(1), 1996, pp. 55-60
Forty-three men between the ages of 18 and 48, in treatment for cocain
e abuse or dependence, were evaluated for history of childhood attenti
on-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adult symptoms (residual
state). Participants completed a quantitative cocaine history and an i
nterview designed explore subjective cocaine experience. High ADHD sco
res were significantly correlated with high gram use of cocaine, r(41)
= .37, p < .05, and with negative affective responses associated with
cocaine use, r(41) = -.62, p < .001. Participants with high ADHD scor
es also reported more use of cocaine for self-medication, r(41) = .42,
p < .01, and higher degrees of craving and sleeplessness during the m
onth before entering treatment, r(41) = .31, p < .05 and r(41) = .32,
p < .05, respectively. The results demonstrate that ADHD, residual sta
te, may need to be considered as an added focus of treatment for cocai
ne dependence among patients with adult symptomatology.