DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN ADULTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate comorbid symptoms (depression and anxiety) in adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The subjects were 54 adults (30 men and 24 women) with ADHD according to the criteria of DSM-IV-TR. They were outpatients of Showa University Karasuyama Hospital. Their mean age was 29.4±7.9 years old and mean estimated IQ 105±8.5. Only 4 subjects had another psychiatric diagnosis. They were assessed with the following self-rating questionnaires: Japanese version of the National Adult Reading Test (JART), Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales Self Report: Screening Version (CAARS-SV), Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). The results showed that the subjects were moderately depressive and highly anxious. They had more autistic tendencies than healthy people. We analyzed the relationships between ADHD symptoms and comorbid symptoms by Spearman's correlation coefficient. We found that depression was weakly related to ADHD symptoms, and anxiety was moderately related to ADHD symptoms. The results of this study suggest that, even if ADHD patients do not have another psychiatric diagnosis, they may have comorbid symptoms and the more severe ADHD symptoms may accompany severe comorbidity.