Perceived Social Support on the Relationship Between ADD/ADHD and Both Anxious and Depressive Symptoms Among Canadian Adults.

OBJECTIVE

The primary goal of the present research was to examine whether the relationships that social support demonstrates with both anxiety and depression varied between adults with and without ADD/ADHD in a Canadian sample.

METHOD: Data were obtained from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (N ≥ 16,354). Presence of social support, diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and experience of major depressive episodes (MDEs) were estimated in the self-report ADD/ADHD and non-ADD/ADHD groups.

RESULTS

Although social support was negatively associated with having GAD or experiencing an MDE, and self-report ADD/ADHD was positively associated with these outcomes. Presence of self-report ADD/ADHD did not significantly modify the relationships between social support and GAD or MDE.

CONCLUSION

Social support may be a protective factor against symptoms of anxiety and depression in the general Canadian population, for adults with and without ADHD.