ANALYSIS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG PRISON INMATES

Abstract

Drug use choice and pattern is often initiated from childhood and gradually increases through adolescence and adulthood, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a substantive predictor of substance use. This paper analyzed ADHD and substance abuse: its effects and implications on prison inmates. Data was collected from 70 (66 males and 4 females) prison inmates who use and abuse substances. Out of them 54% admitted to being gainfully employed and 34% were unemployed. The 25 items Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) was adopted to assess the ADHD. Chi square was used to test our hypothesis and Content analysis was used to explore the drug use choice and subsequent relationship between ADHD and drug choice. Results revealed that there was a significant relationship between AD/HD and methamphetamine (y? = 12.323, p = 0.006), cocaine use (x2 = 12.712, p = 0.005), and crack cocaine (x2 = 13.899, p = 0.003). Alcohol, cannabis, solvent, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, tranquilizers, cough syrup and Raquinol however showed no significant relationship with ADHD.