The rapid increase in recent years in the number of children and adults diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) raises a number of questions. It is unclear whether the increase is due to an increased public and professional recognition and awareness of ADHD or to an actual increase in the incidence of individuals suffering from ADHD. Depending on the reasons behind the increase, and depending on whether effective treatments can be found, the future costs to society could be enormous. The study presented in this book estimates the private and social costs of ADHD. The key ... More

The rapid increase in recent years in the number of children and adults diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) raises a number of questions. It is unclear whether the increase is due to an increased public and professional recognition and awareness of ADHD or to an actual increase in the incidence of individuals suffering from ADHD. Depending on the reasons behind the increase, and depending on whether effective treatments can be found, the future costs to society could be enormous. The study presented in this book estimates the private and social costs of ADHD. The key focus is to study the costs related to individuals with undiagnosed and untreated ADHD. The study investigates the extent to which individuals with undiagnosed ADHD in childhood fare differently compared to otherwise similar individuals without ADHD. A list of important parameters in an individual’s life are examined, including education, income, health, and crime. The results provide cost estimates of ADHD and also create a point of reference that will be relevant for the evaluation of any future treatment for ADHD. The picture emerging from this study is that ADHD is associated with considerable private and social costs, as adults with ADHD have weak performance across all measures applied in this analysis. These findings remain even when adults with ADHD are compared to a control group of their siblings. Although the study is performed for Denmark, it is argued that the results are generalizable beyond Denmark.