( TIME.com ) -- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder among children , and as incidence of the condition continue to rise , parents and patients are asking what happens next . How does ADHD affect children as they become teens and adults and start to form relationships , find jobs and establish families of their own ? Does the condition put them at a disadvantage for coping with life 's inevitable challenges ? With 5.4 million children ever diagnosed with ADHD in the U.S. , and 3 % to 7 % of school-aged children currently struggling with the condition , it 's worth considering how ADHD affects their adult lives . TIME.com : Why youngest kids in class most likely to be diagnosed . Rachel Klein of the Child Study Center at New York University Langone Medical Center and her colleagues studied the potentially long-term effects of ADHD among men who were diagnosed as kids . In their 33-year follow-up study , Klein and her team looked at 135 middle-aged men with childhood ADHD who were referred to the study by their teachers when they were between six to 12 years old . The researchers compared this group to 136 men without ADHD and found that men with ADHD struggled more in occupational , educational , economic and social arenas later in life compared to men without the diagnosis . TIME.com : New definition may make ADHD easier to spot in adults . At the 33-year follow-up , when the men were in their forties , those with childhood-diagnosed ADHD without conduct disorders had about 2.5 years fewer years of education compared to the other men ; only 3.7 % had higher degrees compared to nearly 30 % of the control group . The majority ( 84 % ) were holding jobs , but at significantly lower positions than peers without ADHD and were therefore at a financial disadvantage . On average , the researchers say , the ADHD group earned $ 40,000 less in salary than their unaffected counterparts . Socially , men with ADHD also struggled with higher divorce rates , more antisocial personality disorders and substance abuse . On the positive side , however , they did not have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders , like depression . TIME.com : 25 % of adults who seek treatment do n't have ADHD . Overall , the ADHD adults showed higher rates of psychiatric hospitalizations and incarcerations , which the authors conclude supports a continued need for monitoring and treatment of kids with ADHD , even when a conduct disorder is not present . Dr. Klein says even when children with ADHD are not disruptive , they may still be at a higher risk for developing antisocial behaviors later on , like lying , stealing and cheating . But addressing the needs of children with ADHD , by providing academic support in school to help them overcome their frustrations and challenges in paying attention and retaining what they learn , and by giving them emotional support from the family , can given these students the coping skills they need to meet their adult challenges â€ ” in the workplace , in relationships and in social interactions â€ ” as well . `` One of the very important messages [ from our findings ] is that most kids [ with ADHD ] do OK , and some do very well . As a group they did well , '' says Klein . While ADHD 's effect can linger into adulthood , it does n't have to be either debilitating or inevitable . `` It does affect their lives , but not to the point that they 're very badly off , '' she says . The study was published online in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry . This story was originally published on TIME.com . Men Diagnosed With Childhood ADHD Struggle More with Jobs , Relationships .
Up to 7 % of school - age children currently struggle with ADHD . Out of 135 middle - aged people who were diagnosed with ADHD as children . People with ADHD struggle with higher divorce rates , substance abuse .