Effects of methylphenidate treatment on quality of life in adolescents

Abstract

Effects of methylphenidate treatment on quality of life in adolescents Objective: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood mental disorders. Improvement in quality of life is observed with the treatment of ADHD which is a chronic disorder that disrupts the quality of life. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with ADHD and quality of life of adolescents after methylphenidate treatment. Method: Fifty patients between 13-18 years old, who admitted to Mersin University Medical Faculty Hospital Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics; were diagnosed with ADHD; received methylphenidate treatment for the first time; and continued with the treatment for three months; were included in the study. Pretreatment and 3rd month results of Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), StateTrait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-CH), and adolescent and parent forms of Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM 4.0 (PedsQLTM 4.0) were assessed by retrospectively screening of patient charts. Results: After methylphenidate treatment, quality of life scores were improved, except for physical functioning. Quality of life scores were higher in adolescent reports, compared to parents. Male adolescents scored their quality of life more positively than girls before and after the treatment. In addition, anxiety symptoms improved after methylphenidate treatment. Conclusion: It is important to determine the changes in quality of life with the treatment of ADHD in terms of emphasizing the importance of ADHD treatment, evaluating treatment outcomes, and establishing effective and sophisticated treatment plans.