The ADHD-project
The proportion of children and adolescents receiving ADHD diagnoses varies greatly between child and adolescent mental health clinics. Does a more liberal or more restrictive diagnosing practice lead to better outcomes? Similarly, the proportion of persons diagnosed who receive ADHD medication also varies. Does a more liberal or more restrictive prescribing practice lead to better outcomes?
About the project
Project period: 2019 - 2026
The project investigates how clinical variation in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD affects outcomes for children and adolescents.
While ADHD diagnoses and medication have well-documented short-term effects, less is known about the long-term consequences—especially for children who are on the borderline for diagnosis and treatment.
The project takes advantage of the natural “lottery” that occurs when children are referred to different child and adolescent mental health clinics (BUPs) in Norway. Clinical practice varies significantly between the most restrictive and the most liberal clinics, even when ADHD symptoms are similar across the catchment areas. This variation provides a unique opportunity to conduct natural experiments as a supplement to traditional randomised controlled trials.
The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway – FRIPRO – #288585.
Ethics approval: REK 2017/2150