PhD Studentship: Assuming associations from old data- the case of ADHD and drug use. MRC GW4 BioMed DTP PhD studentship 2025/26 Entry, Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences

Project description

About the GW4 BioMed2 Doctoral Training Partnership 

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead) and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities, with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and 'team science'. The DTP already has over 90 studentships over 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 58 students over 3 cohorts in its second phase. 

Project Information 

Research Theme: Neuroscience & Mental Health

Summary:

Many research papers about ADHD include the sentence “ADHD is associated with increased risk of substance use”. However, new analysis in UK datasets has shown no association between ADHD and adolescent drug or alcohol use. What is going on? Have we been getting it wrong for years, or are there societal changes impacting on young people with ADHD? In this PhD you will unpick whether or not young people with ADHD have an increased risk of using drugs and alcohol, and why (not).

Main Description: 

Society is increasingly recognising the importance of understanding how and why the human brain diverges from neurotypical development. Up to 7% of adolescents experience impairing symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity, which can be diagnosed as ADHD.

Individuals with ADHD are at increased risk of poor health and life course outcomes: better understanding of their positive and negative experiences is vital to improve health and wellbeing.

An established body of research has found that ADHD is linked to increased risk of using drugs in adolescence. Scientists have theorised this could be due to increased risk-taking, or ‘self-medication’.
Given that adolescent substance use is known to raise risks for adult mental and physical health, and may explain some relationships between ADHD and adverse outcomes, understanding the current relationship between ADHD and substance use may lead to improving lifetime health for those with ADHD.

However, when we recently explored this in a representative UK dataset, we were surprised to find no evidence of an association between ADHD and substance use. Now we want to know why. Was this just a spurious (chance) finding from one dataset, or has the relationship between ADHD and substance use changed over time?

Recent advances also show that symptoms of ADHD may dip and then peak again repeatedly over time: perhaps these trajectories are related to substance use. This PhD project will explore this in depth.

Research questions:

1. Is ADHD currently associated with an increased risk of substance (drug, nicotine and alcohol use) in teens and young adults in the UK and worldwide?
2. What cultural, political or sociodemographic factors might explain cross-cultural differences in this association?

The student will be able to take these questions and adapt the suggested methods to take ownership of their PhD. There is choice in which substances to focus on and how best to conceptualise ADHD. They will be able to design their own Patient and Public Involvement.

Advert information