Rates of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Adults With ADHD

Objective: Research has demonstrated an association between ADHD and intimate partner violence (IPV). However, it is unclear whether adults with ADHD persisting from childhood are especially at risk, and whether ADHD is a unique risk factor beyond well-established predictors of IPV. Method: Adults with (n = 95) and without childhood histories of ADHD (n = 121) who were recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk reported their levels of IPV perpetration and victimization, and provided data on additional risk factors of IPV (e.g., childhood maltreatment, alcohol abuse). Results: While controlling for additional risk factors, adults diagnosed with ADHD as children, particularly those with elevated current ADHD symptoms (ADHD-Persist), reported higher rates of IPV perpetration and victimization than adults with ADHD histories but low current symptoms (ADHD-Desist) and adults who were never diagnosed with ADHD (control). Conclusion: Adults with ADHD histories and elevated current symptoms are most likely to report IPV perpetration and victimization.