Alcohol problems of delinquents with and without ADHD

Abstract

With a prevalence of 3,5 %, ADHD is a frequent psychiatric disorder among adults. The disorder is often associated with substance abuse and delinquency. That is why the ADHD is an important disorder in surveying delinquents in forensic psychiatry, especially the correlation of delinquents with ADHD and alcohol.

168 surveys that were made in the institute of forensic psychology and psychiatry in Homburg / Saar, were used. All of the delinquents in those surveys committed criminal acts under the influence of alcohol and were examined with the german shortform of the Wender-Utah-Rating-Scale in order to find out ADHD symptoms in childhhood. 55 of 168 probands fulfilled the criteria of ADHD in childhood.

137 of 168 delinquents were also examined with the ADHD self-rating behaviour questionnaire in order to find out an ADHD, that has continued on to adulthood. 17 of 137 met the criteria of persistent ADHD.

In order to find out differences between delinquents with and without ADHD the German "Forensic-psychiatric ratingscale of alcohol intoxication" ( FORA ) was used. The intention of this paper was to find out differences in criminal acts, personality of the criminals and symptoms of alcohol intoxication between delinquents with and without ADHD by using the FORA.

The criminal acts committed by the delinquents included assaults, thefts, verbal slanders, traffic offences, sex offences, but also grievous bodily harm resulting in death and murder.

In comparison to delinquents without ADHD those with ADHD in childhood and especially those with persistent ADHD in adulthood showed significantly more often criminal acts that were committed in the blink of an eye. According to expectations, probands with ADHD had a significantly higher rate of multiple substance abuse and personality disorders. The intelligence was significantly more often below average in delinquents with ADHD, especially with persistent ADHD. Previous convictions were significantly more often detected in probands with ADHD, previous convictions because of violence significantly more often in those with persistent ADHD. Delinquents without ADHD showed a significantly higher rate of increased alcohol tolerance. There were significantly more probands without ADHD that were banned from driving after driving under the influence of alcohol.

These results emphasize the importance of ADHD in forenisic-psychiatric surveying of delinquents, that were under the influence of alcohol during the criminal act, especially in terms of relapse into delinquency.

In order to find out more about the effect of alcohol to delinquents with ADHD more studies are necessary.