Sensation seeking and cocaine dependence in adults with reported childhood ADHD

Abstract

Objective: To compare measures of sensation seeking in a clinical group of cocaine-dependent (CD) patients with and without a history of probable childhood ADHD and in non-cocaine-dependent (NCD) healthy volunteers.

Method: Patients (n = 75; 42 with and 33 without probable childhood ADHD) and comparisons (n = 84) were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies, the Wender Utah Rating Scale for childhood ADHD, and the Zuckerman Seeking Sensation Scale.

Results: We found significantly higher prevalence rates of probable childhood ADHD in CD versus NCD (p < .001). The mean total scores of sensation seeking were significantly higher in CD versus NCD participants (p < .001) as well as in CD patients with versus those without a probable history of childhood ADHD (p < .001).

Conclusion: Our study sets the basis for longitudinal investigation assessing whether the persistence of high level of sensation seeking in adults with childhood ADHD contributes to the transition to cocaine dependence.

Keywords: ADHD; cocaine; sensation seeking; substance use disorders.