This study followed people who were diagnosed with combined-type ADHD as children, at ages 7 to 9, into young adulthood (ages 19 to 28, average 24.7). It compared them with classmates who did not have ADHD. The ADHD group was split in two based on how many symptoms they still reported as adults: about half still had symptoms and about half did not.
Outcomes fell into three patterns. For finishing college, being fired or quitting, income, public assistance and risky sexual behavior, the comparison group did best, the still-symptomatic group did worst, and the recovered group landed in between. College completion showed this clearly, with the comparison group earning a Bachelor's degree far more often (37.1%) than the recovered group (17.8%) or the still-symptomatic group (8.0%). For emotional problems and substance use disorders, the comparison group and the recovered group were similar, and both did better than the still-symptomatic group. For jail time, alcohol use disorder and number of jobs held, the three groups did not differ.
The authors suggest that continuing ADHD symptoms be treated toward full remission rather than just improvement, and that education, work, emotional health and substance use all be targets of intervention starting early.
Source: Hechtman L, Swanson J, Sibley M, et al.. Functional Adult Outcomes 16 Years After Childhood Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: MTA Results. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2016). doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.07.774