Tips for Supporting Patients With Comorbid ADHD and Autism

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be an underrecognized driver of long-term outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum, particularly when it comes to adaptive functioning and quality of life, according to Benjamin Yerys, PhD, a child psychologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and at University of Pennsylvania. Yerys discussed these themes in an interview with Psychiatric Times ahead of his presentation at the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) 2026 Annual Conference.¹

“ADHD is a really underappreciated contributor to outcomes, particularly around adaptive behavior,” Yerys told Psychiatric Times. He noted that outcomes extend beyond core ADHD symptoms to everyday functioning, including “things like self-care, taking care of a home, taking care of like errands in the community,” as well as broader life and health outcomes for individuals with autism.

Yerys pointed to emerging data suggesting that untreated ADHD in individuals with autism compound risks across the lifespan. He explained that adults with both diagnoses may be more vulnerable to adverse outcomes, including “problems with substance use, problems with injuries, problems with heart disease.” Importantly, he added that treatment appears to make a measurable difference. “We have data showing that actually when ADHD is being treated well, those outcomes actually improve,” Yerys said.

Psychiatric clinicians have a unique opportunity to further enhance quality of life for these patients, he said, as ADHD can negatively affect how they perceive their lives, relationships, and roles at school or work.

Yerys urged psychiatrists to pay close attention to developmental transitions, when expectations increase and formal supports often recede. He described how pressures to achieve independence can widen the gap between aspirations and functional capacity. For individuals with co-occurring autism and ADHD, “their gap between where they may want to be and then where they are is just getting wider and wider as they get older,” he said, setting the stage for poorer adult outcomes.

Collaborating with other disciplines (eg, psychology and social work) that support these patients can be very beneficial, Yerys said. There are a number of programs that can assist clinicians who want to support effect engagement with patients who have comorbid ADHD and autism. Among these, he cited the (Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Science) (AASPIRE) Center at Portland State University² and the University of North Carolina’s AFFIRM video series³ as tools that can help clinicians communicate more clearly and respectfully.

Ultimately, Yerys said his goal is to reinforce the importance of treating ADHD, both pharmacologically and psychosocially, as well as to address the functional skills impacted by ADHD. “I really want people to know how important it is to focus on treating ADHD and to look at these underlying skills that ADHD impacts. That way we can sort of mitigate, reduce, or maybe even eliminate some of the really negative outcomes.”

For more APSARD conference coverage, visit psychiatrictimes.com/conferences/apsard.

References

1. Yerys B. Autism and ADHD Co-Occurrence: Developmental Trajectories, Mechanisms, and Intersections. Presented at the APSARD 2026 Annual Conference; January 15-18, 2026; San Diego, CA.

2. Organization for Autism Research. AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://researchautism.org/healthcaretoolkit/

3. UNC. AFIRM Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/