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ADHD and Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity in Children and Adults: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges

  • Anxiety Disorders (A Pelissolo, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

In this review, we focus on overlapping features of ADHD and anxiety disorders, and will discuss how an anxiety disorder comorbidity leads to diagnostic and treatment challenges in patients with ADHD, in consideration of the accumulated available knowledge.

Recent Findings

The presence of overlapping symptoms, changes in the diagnostic criteria, and the use of divergent diagnostic tools and informant effects can complicate the diagnosis of this comorbidity. Due to the ongoing debate about the etiology, psychopathology, and diagnostic features of the association between ADHD and anxiety disorders, choosing appropriate treatment options emerges as a challenge.

Summary

A novel methodology, standardized interview tools, and new statistical analysis methods are needed to define the phenotype of this co-occurrence more clearly. It is important to uncover the developmental nature of this comorbidity with follow-up studies that may explain the etiology and underlying neurobiological basis, and ultimately lead to more effective treatment approaches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academy Social Phobia Center, Atatürk Mah, İkitelli Cad, No:126 A, Daire:6 Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ahmet Koyuncu

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology, Boğaziçi University, Bebek, 34342, Beşiktaş, İstanbul, Turkey

    Tuğba Ayan

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Mental and Neurological Disorders, 19 Mayıs, Sinan Ercan Cd. No:23, Kadıköy, İstanbul, 34736, Turkey

    Ezgi Ince Guliyev

  4. Department of Child Development, Istanbul Gelişim University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Seda Erbilgin

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Medipol Mega University Hospital, TEM Avrupa Otoyolu Göztepe Çıkışı No:, D:1, Bağcılar, İstanbul, Turkey

    Erdem Deveci

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  1. Ahmet Koyuncu
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  2. Tuğba Ayan
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  3. Ezgi Ince Guliyev
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  4. Seda Erbilgin
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  5. Erdem Deveci
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Correspondence to Ahmet Koyuncu.

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Koyuncu, A., Ayan, T., Ince Guliyev, E. et al. ADHD and Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity in Children and Adults: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges. Curr Psychiatry Rep 24, 129–140 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5

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