Assessing Adult ADHD Using a Self-Report Symptom Checklist

Abstract

The self-ratings of DSM-IV ADHD symptoms by adults reporting a previous ADHD diagnosis were contrasted with ratings by controls matched for age and sex. Adults previously diagnosed with ADHD endorsed significantly more symptoms of inattention and of hyperactivity-impulsivity. Specifically, 13 of the 18 DSM-IV ADHD symptoms were endorsed more frequently by the group previously diagnosed with ADHD than by the control group. Predictive power analysis showed that persons endorsing ADHD symptoms were highly likely to have reported a prior ADHD diagnosis. Finally, the data suggested that the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of 6 symptoms of inattention or 6 symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity could be appropriately applied during adult ADHD assessment.