Impact of COVID-19 for people living and working with ADHD: A brief review of the literature

Jack Hollingdale; Nicoletta Adamo; Kevin Tierney; Jack Hollingdale; Nicoletta Adamo; Kevin Tierney

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2021047

AIMS Public Health

2021, Volume 8, Issue 4: 581-597. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2021047

Previous Article Next Article

Mini review

Impact of COVID-19 for people living and working with ADHD: A brief review of the literature

1.
Compass, Compass Psychology Services Ltd, London, UK
2.
SCAAND Department, Michael Rutter Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, UK
3.
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK

Received: 29 May 2021 Accepted: 18 August 2021 Published: 23 August 2021

Objective
COVID-19 lockdowns have changed the social and environmental context. Those with ADHD are more vulnerable to experiencing difficulties than their non-ADHD peers. This paper attempts to provide a brief summary of the literature that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method
A literature search was completed using the following databases; Embase, Ovid Medline, APA PsycInfo. A total of 36 papers were identified as relevant to the topic.

Results
The pandemic has exacerbated the core symptoms of ADHD and co-occurring difficulties. Services have adapted their assessment and intervention protocols for tele-health working and findings suggest that tele-interventions present a viable alternative. However, much of this research utilises small sample sizes and a restricted number of population groups.

Conclusions
More research is required to determine the effectiveness of ADHD care during the pandemic and whether adaptations will be retained post-pandemic.
- ADHD,
- COVID-19,
- education provision,
- service provision,
- interventions
Citation: Jack Hollingdale, Nicoletta Adamo, Kevin Tierney. Impact of COVID-19 for people living and working with ADHD: A brief review of the literature[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2021, 8(4): 581-597. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2021047

Related Papers:

Abstract

Objective

COVID-19 lockdowns have changed the social and environmental context. Those with ADHD are more vulnerable to experiencing difficulties than their non-ADHD peers. This paper attempts to provide a brief summary of the literature that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

A literature search was completed using the following databases; Embase, Ovid Medline, APA PsycInfo. A total of 36 papers were identified as relevant to the topic.

Results

The pandemic has exacerbated the core symptoms of ADHD and co-occurring difficulties. Services have adapted their assessment and intervention protocols for tele-health working and findings suggest that tele-interventions present a viable alternative. However, much of this research utilises small sample sizes and a restricted number of population groups.

Conclusions

More research is required to determine the effectiveness of ADHD care during the pandemic and whether adaptations will be retained post-pandemic.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

[1]	World Health Organisation The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders: Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines (1993) .Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.
[2]	Panda PK, Gupta J, Chowdhury SR, et al. (2021) Psychological and behavioral impact of lockdown and quarantine measures for COVID-19 pandemic on children, adolescents and caregivers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Trop Pediatr 67: fmaa122. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmaa122
[3]	Kim H, Park KJ, Shin YW, et al. (2020) Psychological Impact of Quarantine on Caregivers at a Children's Hospital for Contact with Case of COVID-19. J Korean Med Sci 35: e255. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e255
[4]	Yuan R, Xu QH, Xia CC, et al. (2020) Psychological status of parents of hospitalized children during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Psychiatry Res 88: 112953. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112953
[5]	McGowan G, Conrad R, Potts H (2020) Challenges with managing children and adolescents with ADHD during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review of the literature. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 59: S251. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.08.412
[6]	Zhang J, Shuai L, Yu H, et al. (2020) Acute stress, behavioural symptoms and mood states among school-age children with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder during the COVID-19 outbreak. Asian J Psychiatr 51: 102077. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102077
[7]	Nonweiler J, Rattray F, Baulcomb J (2020) Prevalence and associated factors of emotional and behavioural difficulties during COVID-19 pandemic in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Children 7: 128. doi: 10.3390/children7090128
[8]	Low DM, Rumker L, Talkar T, et al. (2020) Natural language processing reveals vulnerable mental health support groups and heightened health anxiety on reddit during covid-19: Observational study. J Med Internet Res 22: e22635. doi: 10.2196/22635
[9]	Sibley MH, Ortiz M, Gaias LM, et al. (2021) Top problems of adolescents and young adults with ADHD during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Psychiatr Res 136: 190-197. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.02.009
[10]	Swanson JM, Volkow ND (2021) Lessons From the 1918 Flu Pandemic: A Novel Etiologic Subtype of ADHD? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 60: 1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.09.024
[11]	American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2013) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Arlington.
[12]	Schuchardt K, Fischbach A, Balke-Melcher C, et al. (2015) The comorbidity of learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms in primary-school-age children. Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother 43: 185-193. doi: 10.1024/1422-4917/a000352
[13]	Hollingdale J, Woodhouse E, Young S, et al. (In press) Sex Differences in Conduct and Emotional Outcomes for Young People with Hyperactive/Inattentive Traits and Social Communication Difficulties between 9 and 16 years of age: A Growth Curve Analysis. Psychol Med .
[14]	Young S, Adamo N, Ásgeirsdóttir BB, et al. (2020) Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls and women. BMC Psychiatr 20: 1-27. doi: 10.1186/s12888-019-2374-2
[15]	Sobanski E, Banaschewski T, Asherson P, et al. (2010) Emotional lability in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): clinical correlates and familial prevalence. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51: 915-923. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02217.x
[16]	Kirov R, Brand S (2014) Sleep problems and their effect in ADHD. Expert Rev Neurother 14: 287-299. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2014.885382
[17]	Becker SP, Dvorsky MR, Breaux R, et al. (2021) Prospective examination of adolescent sleep patterns and behaviors before and during COVID-19. Sleep 1-11.
[18]	Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, et al. (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med 6: e1000097. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
[19]	Adamou M, Fullen T, Galab N, et al. (2020) Psychological effects of the COVID-19 imposed lockdown on adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: cross-sectional survey study. JMIR Form Res 4: e24430. doi: 10.2196/24430
[20]	Ando M, Takeda T, Kumagai K (2021) A Qualitative Study of Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Lives in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder in Japan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18: 2090. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042090
[21]	Mallik CI, Radwan RB (2021) Impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic in changes of prevalence of predictive psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents in Bangladesh. Asian J Psychiatr 56: 102554. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102554
[22]	Shah R, Raju VV, Sharma A, et al. (2021) Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on children with ADHD and their families—an online survey and a continuity care model. J Neurosci Rural Pract 12: 71-79. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1718645
[23]	Breaux R, Dvorsky MR, Marsh NP, et al. (2021) Prospective impact of COVID-19 on mental health functioning in adolescents with and without ADHD: protective role of emotion regulation abilities. J Child Psychol Psychiatry .
[24]	Sciberras E, Patel P, Stokes MA, et al. (2020) Physical health, media use, and mental health in children and adolescents with ADHD during the COVID-19 pandemic in australia. J Atten Disord 1087054720978549.
[25]	Bobo E, Lin L, Acquaviva E, et al. (2020) How do children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak? Encephale S85-S92. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2020.05.011
[26]	Nissen JB, Højgaard DRMA, Thomsen PH (2020) The immediate effect of COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder. BMC Psychiatry 20: 1-10. doi: 10.1186/s12888-020-02905-5
[27]	Beyens I, Pouwels JL, van Driel II, et al. (2020) The effect of social media on well-being differs from adolescent to adolescent. Sci Rep 10: 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67727-7
[28]	Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M (2019) The sleep-immune crosstalk in health and disease. Physiol Rev 99: 1325-1380. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00010.2018
[29]	Rundle AG, Park Y, Herbstman JB, et al. (2020) COVID-19 related school closings and risk of weight gain among children. Obesity (Silver Spring) 28: 1008. doi: 10.1002/oby.22813
[30]	Dijk DJ, Cajochen C (1997) Melatonin and the circadian regulation of sleep initiation, consolidation, structure, and the sleep EEG. J Biol Rhythms 12: 627-635. doi: 10.1177/074873049701200618
[31]	Becker SP, Sidol CA, Van Dyk TR, et al. (2017) Intraindividual variability of sleep/wake patterns in relation to child and adolescent functioning: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev 34: 94-121. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2016.07.004
[32]	Becker SP, Gregory AM (2020) Editorial Perspective: Perils and promise for child and adolescent sleep and associated psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 61: 757-759. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13278
[33]	Çetin FH, Uçar HN, Türkoğlu, et al. (2020) Chronotypes and trauma reactions in children with ADHD in home confinement of COVID-19: full mediation effect of sleep problems. Chronobiol Int 37: 1214-1222. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1785487
[34]	Liu Y, Gayle AA, Wilder-Smith A, et al. (2020) The reproductive number of COVID-19 is higher compared to SARS coronavirus. J Travel Med 27: taaa021. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaa021
[35]	Dong Y, Mo X, Hu Y, et al. (2020) Epidemiology of COVID-19 among children in China. Pediatrics 145: e20200702. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0702
[36]	McGrath J (2020) ADHD and Covid-19: current roadblocks and future opportunities. Ir J Psychol Med 37: 204-211. doi: 10.1017/ipm.2020.53
[37]	Spencer T, Noyes E, Biederman J (2020) Telemedicine in the Management of ADHD: Literature Review of Telemedicine in ADHD. J Atten Disord 24: 3-9. doi: 10.1177/1087054719859081
[38]	Valentine AZ, Hall SS, Young E, et al. (2021) Implementation of telehealth services to assess, monitor, and treat neurodevelopmental disorders: Systematic review. J Med Internet Res 23: e22619. doi: 10.2196/22619
[39]	National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management. NICE Guideline NG87 (2018) .Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/chapter/Recommendations#medication.
[40]	Cortese S, Coghill D, Santosh P, et al. (2020) Starting ADHD medications during the COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations from the European ADHD Guidelines Group. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 4: e15. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30144-9
[41]	Patel PD, Cobb J, Wright D, et al. (2020) Rapid development of telehealth capabilities within pediatric patient portal infrastructure for COVID19 care: Barriers, solutions, results. J Am Med Inform Assoc 27: 1116-1120. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa065
[42]	Palacio-Ortiz JD, Londono-Herrera JP, Nanclares-Marquez A, et al. (2020) Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rev Colomb Psiquiatr 49: 279-288. doi: 10.1016/j.rcp.2020.05.006
[43]	Wallis KE, Mule C, Mittal S, et al. (2021) Use of Telehealth in Fellowship-Affiliated Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Dev Behav Pediatr 42: 314-321. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000897
[44]	Wosik J, Fudim M, Cameron B, et al. (2020) Telehealth transformation: COVID-19 and the rise of virtual care. J Am Med Inform Assoc 27: 957-962. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa067
[45]	Wells SY, Morland LA, Wilhite ER, et al. (2020) Delivering Prolonged Exposure Therapy via Videoconferencing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview of the Research and Special Considerations for Providers. J Trauma Stress 33: 380-390. doi: 10.1002/jts.22573
[46]	DiBacco TA, Gaynor ST (2021) Prolonged Exposure Therapy: A Case of Comorbid PTSD, ADHD, and GAD. Clin Case Stud 1534650121994267.
[47]	Shah AC, Badawy SM (2021) Telemedicine in pediatrics: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. JMIR Pediatr Parent 4: e22696. doi: 10.2196/22696
[48]	DuPaul GJ, Evans SW, Mautone JA, et al. (2020) Future directions for psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents with ADHD. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 49: 134-145. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2019.1689825
[49]	Fogler JM, Normand S, O'Dea N, et al. (2020) Implementing Group Parent Training in Telepsychology: Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Pediatr Psychol 45: 983-989. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa085
[50]	Oddo LE, Garner A, Novick DR, et al. (2021) Remote delivery of psychosocial intervention for college students with adhd during covid-19: clinical strategies, practice recommendations, and future considerations. Evidence-Based Pract Child Adolesc Ment Health 6: 99-115. doi: 10.1080/23794925.2020.1855614
[51]	Summers J, Baribeau D, Mockford M, et al. (2021) Supporting children with neurodevelopmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 60. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.09.011
[52]	Salinas CM, Edgar VB, Siervo GB, et al. (2020) Transforming pediatric neuropsychology through video-based teleneuropsychology: an innovative private practice model pre-COVID-19. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 35: 1189-1195. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acaa101
[53]	Cortese S, Asherson P, Sonuga-Barke E, et al. (2020) ADHD management during the COVID-19 pandemic: guidance from the European ADHD Guidelines Group. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 4: 412-414. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30110-3
[54]	Crawford J, Butler-Henderson K, Rudolph J, et al. (2020) COVID-19: 20 countries' higher education intra-period digital pedagogy responses. J Appl Learn Teach 3: 1-20.
[55]	Thorell LB, Skoglund C, de la Peña AG, et al. (2021) Parental experiences of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences between seven European countries and between children with and without mental health conditions. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1-13.
[56]	McFayden TC, Breaux R, Bertollo JR, et al. (2021) COVID-19 remote learning experiences of youth with neurodevelopmental disorders in rural Appalachia. J Rural Ment Health 45: 72. doi: 10.1037/rmh0000171
[57]	Roy A, Breaux R, Sciberras E, et al. A Preliminary Examination of Key Strategies, Challenges, and Benefits of Remote Learning Expressed by Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021) .Available from: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5ca4v.
[58]	Saline S (2021) Thriving in the New Normal: How COVID-19 has Affected Alternative Learners and Their Families and Implementing Effective, Creative Therapeutic Interventions. Smith Coll Stud Soc Work 91: 1-28. doi: 10.1080/00377317.2020.1867699
[59]	Laslo-Roth R, Bareket-Bojmel L, Margalit M (2020) Loneliness experience during distance learning among college students with ADHD: the mediating role of perceived support and hope. Eur J Spec Needs Educ 1-15. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2020.1862339
[60]	Becker SP, Breaux R, Cusick CN, et al. (2020) Remote Learning During COVID-19: Examining School Practices, Service Continuation, and Difficulties for Adolescents With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Adolesc Health 67: 769-777. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.002
[61]	Melegari MG, Giallonardo M, Sacco R, et al. (2021) Identifying the impact of the confinement of Covid-19 on emotional-mood and behavioural dimensions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychiatry Res 296: 113692. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113692
[62]	Merzon E, Manor I, Rotem A, et al. (2020) ADHD as a risk factor for infection with Covid-19. J Atten Disord 1087054720943271.
[63]	Wang Q, Xu R, Volkow ND (2021) Increased risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality in people with mental disorders: analysis from electronic health records in the United States. World Psychiatry 20: 124-130. doi: 10.1002/wps.20806
[64]	Pollak Y, Dayan H, Shoham R, et al. (2020) Predictors of non-adherence to public health instructions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 74: 602-604. doi: 10.1111/pcn.13122
[65]	Arbel Y, Fialkoff C, Kerner A, et al. (2020) Can Increased Recovery Rates from Coronavirus be explained by Prevalence of ADHD? An Analysis at the US Statewide Level. J Atten Disord 1087054720959707.
[66]	Kavoor AR, Mitra S (2021) Managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder during COVID-19 Pandemic. J Neurosci Rural Pract 12: 1-2. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721206
[67]	Mahase E (2021) Delta variant: What is happening with transmission, hospital admissions, and restrictions? BMJ 373: n1513. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n1513
[68]	O'Dowd A (2021) Covid-19: Cases of delta variant rise by 79%, but rate of growth slows. BMJ 373: n1596. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n1596

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2021 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)