A Neuropsychological Profile of College Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

William R Guiler (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Large scale studies of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have found that in about 40% of children with a diagnosis, symptoms continue well into adulthood. This poor prognosis makes it imperative that adult ADHD become better understood at the neuropsychological level so novel therapies and diagnostic practices can be established. The purpose of the present study was to examine neuropsychological traits in college students with and without ADHD as well as compare different measures for assessment. Students (N=368) were recruited from a southeastern, large public university across the Fall semester of 2020 to complete an online survey. The survey included screeners for ADHD such as the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRSv1.1), depression (PHQ-8), anxiety (GAD-7), and stress (PSS-10). The average age of participants was 18.69, with the majority being female (68.2%), White (72%), and freshman (76.9). Students were sorted into an ADHD group (n=100) and control group (n=268) depending on diagnostic history and scores on the ASRSv.1.1. A smaller subset of those participants (n=27 for ADHD group, n=19 for control group) were asked to complete an evaluation of neuropsychological functioning as per the CogniFit’s Cognitive Assessment Battery and the Brown Executive Function/Attention Scales (Brown EF-A), and an assessment of ADHD symptom severity with the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS). Comparisons of each neuropsychological domain between ADHD and control groups were conducted using multivariate analyses of variance. Scores on the Brown EF-A were significantly higher (p<.001) for the ADHD group compared to the Control across all domains. A MANOVA for CogniFit revealed significant difference between those and without ADHD. Pearson correlations showed strong correlations between neuropsychological functioning (Brown EF-A and CogniFit) and scores on the CAARS and the ASRS. Chi-square tests revealed significant differences between the Brown EF-A, CAARS, and ASRS for positive screening of participants for ADHD. Lastly, individuals with ADHD had significantly higher psychological symptomatology across depression and anxiety. Results from this study show a need for more consistent, accurate diagnostic practices of Adult ADHD and builds the framework for the creation of targeted interventions to address neuropsychological deficits.

Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

ADHD;Neuropsychology;Assessment

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