College Students with ADHD at Greater Risk for Sleep Disorders

The pediatric literature indicates that children with ADHD are at greater risk for sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, and some sleep disorders than children with no diagnosed disability. It has not been determined whether this pattern holds true among emerging adults, and whether comorbid sleep disorders with ADHD predict GPA. The present study used a validated survey to screen 1085 freshmen college students for risk for sleep disorders, sleepiness, and sleep patterns. Risk for a sleep disorder among those who had been diagnosed with ADHD or a learning disability (an additional control group with a different disability) were compared to students without a diagnosed disability. Students with ADHD were at greater risk for insomnia and restless legs syndrome/periodic limb movement disorder. Both an ADHD diagnosis and risk for insomnia or a circadian rhythm disorder predicted lower GPA, but the two predictors did not interact. Implications of the associations of ADHD and risk for sleep disorders among emerging adults are discussed.