| Contribution title |
Comparison of Positive and Negative Effects of Stimulant Medications for ADHD between Children and Adults |
| Contribution code |
D3.065 |
| Authors |
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Kamilė Pociūtė
Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University
Presenter
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Odeta Aliukonytė
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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| Form of presentation |
Poster |
| Topic |
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Abstract
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Aim: To evaluate the positive and negative effects of stimulant medications in treating ADHD in children and adults. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted in the Facebook group "ADHD Lithuania" between March and April 2024, targeting two groups: parents of children with ADHD and adults with ADHD. Participants were asked to provide demographic information, ADHD diagnosis, stimulant medication use, and observed positive and negative effects. Only those who had ever used stimulants were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 122 respondents participated in the survey (30 parents of children with ADHD and 95 adults with ADHD). Positive effects of stimulants were reported by 87 adults (91.6 %) and 27 children (90.0 %) (p > 0.05). The most common positive effect was improved concentration and focus, observed in 26 children (86.7 %) and 63 adults (66.3 %) (p > 0.05). Negative effects were reported by 26 children (86.7 %) and 82 adults (86.3 %) (p > 0.05). The most frequent side effect was decreased appetite, reported by 18 children (60.0 %) and 24 adults (25.3 %) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Negative effects of stimulants are common in both groups, with decreased appetite being the most frequent concern, significantly higher in children than in adults. Stimulant medications are subjectively highly effective in improving ADHD symptoms in both children and adults.
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