Effects of comorbid ADHD with learning disabilities on anxiety, depression, and aggression in adults

<b>Objective</b>: ADHD and learning disabilities (LD) frequently coexist and there are indications that comorbidity may increase the risk of psychopathology. <br /><br /><b>Method</b>: The current study examined the gender distribution and frequency of comorbidity and its impact on the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety,  depression, and aggression in a clinic sample of 80 adults with ADHD, aged 18 to 58 years. More individuals were diagnosed with ADHD+LD than ADHD only, with no difference in this distribution according to gender. <br /><br /><b>Results</b>: A factorial multivariate analysis of variance indicated that females with ADHD+LD displayed more cognitive depression than females with ADHD only and than males with ADHD+LD and ADHD only. However,individuals with ADHD only and individuals with ADHD+LD did not differ on overall anxiety, depression or aggression. Likewise, males and females did not differ on measures of psychopathology. <br /><b><br />Conclusion</b>: This study lays the foundation for continued research into the characteristics and comorbidities of adults with ADHD.<br />