ACAMH will host a webinar on September 15 featuring experts like Professor Sinead Rhodes to examine the common co-occurrence of ADHD and depression in children and adolescents, with an emphasis on early detection and gender-specific risks.
ACAMH will host a webinar on ADHD and depression on September 15, bringing together clinicians and researchers to examine a pairing that is increasingly recognised in children and adolescents. The session will feature Professor Sinead Rhodes of the University of Edinburgh, along with Dr Olga Eyre and Dr Ramya Srinivasan, and is aimed at professionals who encounter neurodevelopmental and mental health problems in practice.
Rhodes, a developmental neuropsychologist with three decades of research experience, said her interest in the topic grew from evidence that children and young people with ADHD often struggle across several areas of life at once. Difficulties with learning, cognition and relationships can affect wellbeing early on, she said, creating a pathway towards depression rather than a simple overlap of two separate diagnoses. Her view is consistent with published research showing that depressive symptoms and ADHD features frequently appear together in adolescents, and that clinicians can miss one condition when they focus too narrowly on the other.
The risk appears especially marked for girls. A study in Pediatrics found that 10.3% of girls with ADHD had depression, compared with 2.9% of girls without ADHD, while another study of adolescents screened for depression found that more than 20% reported six or more inattentive symptoms. Rhodes said girls with ADHD are particularly vulnerable and that depression can emerge earlier than many clinicians expect. She also warned that symptoms such as restlessness, concentration problems and difficulty with schoolwork can resemble depression, making standard screening harder unless clinicians look for change over time.
Researchers still have more to learn about why the conditions cluster so often. Rhodes pointed to the need for more work on girls, including the possible role of masking, a term used to describe the effort to hide or compensate for symptoms. Recent research has also suggested that emotion regulation may be a bridge between ADHD and depression, offering a possible target for future intervention. For Rhodes, the practical message is straightforward: clinicians in primary care, mental health and neurodevelopmental services should screen earlier and more carefully, because depression is common in ADHD, may present sooner than expected and can have a disproportionate impact on girls.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
