Researchers have found that children with ADHD are more likely to experience extreme emotions and take longer to manage their mental health and develop emotional regulation skills.

Looking at information from 19,000 young people born between 2000 and 2002, researchers found that boys and girls who experience extreme emotional responses have more symptoms of ADHD by age seven.

These children were also found to have more ‘conduct issues’, including temper tantrums, fighting with other children, lying, and stealing.

This was the case even when other factors such as any pre-existing neurodevelopmental and mental health issues were taken into account.

Led by the Universities of Edinburgh, Oxford and Northumbria, the study is among the first to examine the links between early patterns of emotion regulation and school-age mental health.

The team found that children likely to be diagnosed with ADHD later in life were slower at acquiring skills to manage their intense emotions aged between three and seven.

Researchers also found that these children were more likely to show internalising behaviours and mental wellbeing difficulties, such as sadness and worrying.

The University of Edinburgh’s Dr Aja Murray, from the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, said monitoring children’s emotional regulation can help their mental wellbeing:

“Emotion regulation skills are acquired from early in life and are thought to strengthen gradually over childhood.

“Children, however, acquire these skills at different rates and slower acquisition may serve as a marker for neurodevelopmental and mental health issues.

“Our findings suggest that monitoring trajectories of emotion regulation over development could help identity which children are at risk of mental health issues.”

Researchers say this study’s findings could help tailor support for children who may benefit from enhanced preventative care before mental health issues emerge.

Alan Thornburrow, CEO of Mindroom, a Scottish charity focused on neurodiversity and promoting more inclusive public services and society said:

“The results of this research highlight just how important it is to support children at an early stage and based on their presenting needs, and how beneficial this proves when it can happen without having to wait for a formal diagnosis.

“In order to achieve this, training and support are a necessity, and even more so when it comes to children who may go on to require more intensive support.

“Raising awareness of the need for support at an early stage is also key to working towards our vision of a more inclusive society where all minds are understood and supported.”

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