ADHD remote technology and ADHD transition: predicting and preventing negative outcomes (ART-transition) - an...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Digital Health

Background:

• Late adolescence is a critical period for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), marked by emerging comorbidities like depression and significant life transitions.
• Many young people with ADHD in the UK do not transition effectively to adult services, missing crucial interventions during a vulnerable phase.
• The ART-transition project addresses the need for well-defined targets for holistic interventions during this developmental stage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the nature and timing of real-world changes experienced by young people with ADHD during their transition to adulthood.
• To determine predictors of these changes to enable timely and effective interventions.
• To co-design a prototype smartphone app for ADHD transition support with young people.

Main Methods:

• ART-transition is a prospective cohort study recruiting 250 adolescents aged 16-17 with ADHD.
• Participants undergo baseline assessments and 24 months of remote monitoring using wearable devices (Fitbit) and smartphone apps for passive data collection (activity, sleep, heart rate, usage) and active data collection (questionnaires, cognitive tasks).
• The study utilizes the RADAR-base mobile-health platform for the ADHD Remote Technology (ART) system.

Main Results:

• Remote measurement technology (RMT) enables detailed, ongoing, real-world data collection on ADHD symptoms and associated phenotypes.
• Identification of specific real-world changes and their predictors during the transition to adulthood.
• Data gathered will inform the development of targeted interventions and support tools.

Conclusions:

• The ART-transition study will leverage RMT to provide unprecedented detail on fluctuations in ADHD symptoms and the broader phenotype.
• This approach will pinpoint specific real-world targets for timely and effective interventions.
• Findings will contribute to improved support systems for young people with ADHD transitioning into adulthood.