The findings were published in the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology.
To be considered in excellent mental health, participants had to report: no mental illness in the past year (ie, substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, suicidality); almost daily happiness or satisfaction with life in the last month; and high levels of social and psychological well-being in the last month.
“This finding provides a very hopeful message for both people struggling with ADHD and their loved ones,” said the lead author. Esme Fuller-Thomsonteacher of the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash College of Social Work and director of the Institute for the Life Course and Aging.
“This research marks a paradigm shift. Most previous research, including mine, has focused on mental illness among people with ADHD, so focusing on those who are mentally thriving is refreshing and very encouraging,” added Esme Fuller-Thomson.
The researchers examined a nationally representative sample of 480 respondents with ADHD and 21,099 respondents without ADHD from Canada Statistics’s Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health.
The study identified several factors that were associated with complete mental health among people with ADHD. People who did not suffer from chronic pain and had no history of depression or anxiety in their life were more likely to thrive.
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