Teens On ADHD Medications Bullied More, Researchers Say

Teenagers who take medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more likely to be bullied, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that children who took ADHD medications were two times more likely to be bullied than children who were not on the same medications. 

The study involved a survey on almost 5,000 kids in middle and high school for more than four years. The children were asked about bullying, as well as their use of the medications Ritalin and Adderall.

Twenty percent of children in the study with ADHD also reported that other kids had asked them to sell or share their medications--half of them who reported to doing so. Children who shared the drug were 4.5 times more likely to be bullied when compared to those without the health issue and five times more likely to be bullied when compared to children with ADHD but no recent prescription. 

While the bullying accounts were based off of self-reports, the findings may not be completely accurate. Furthermore, researchers added that they did not find a cause and effect relationship suggesting that medications lead to bullying. 

The study was published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.

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