Sex differences in claimed and behavioral self-handicapping and ADHD symptomatology in emerging adults

Although the research is clear that boys with ADHD have higher symptomatology and impairment than girls with ADHD, for adults the research is mixed. Some studies suggest no sex differences, whereas others suggest that women might have higher symptomatology and impairment. The present study examined sex differences in ADHD symptomatology and impairment, and the possible role of claimed and behavioral self-handicapping as an explanation for any differences. Claimed self-handicapping (CSH) involves reports of performance-inhibiting conditions, whereas behavioral self-handicapping (BSH) involves reporting more objective, intentional acts that could undermine performance. College students (N = 699) completed an online study. Sex differences were found for hyperactivity such that women reported higher levels, but not for inattention or impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through CSH was significant, suggesting that higher levels of CSH in women were associated with elevated ADHD symptoms and impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through BSH was also significant, suggesting that higher levels of BSH in men are associated with elevated symptoms of ADHD and impairment. These data extend the literature by suggesting that self-handicapping might at least partially explain differential self-reporting of ADHD symptoms and impairment in emerging adults across the sexes.     

Positive alcohol expectancies mediate associations between ADHD behaviors and alcohol-related problems among college students

An increasing percentage of college students report being affected by ADHD behaviors, and this population is at increased risk of experiencing negative consequences associated with alcohol consumption. However, specific factors motivating alcohol consumption and contributing to negative outcomes among these individuals are not well understood. Recent work suggests alcohol expectancies may interact with ADHD behaviors to influence negative drinking-related outcomes among those with elevated inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. Seven-hundred-forty emerging adults (M age = 19.13 [SD = 2.25] years; 72.1% female; 85.8% Caucasian) enrolled in two public universities in the Southeast and Midwest USA completed the Brief Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Survey (B-CEOA) and provided self-reports of ADHD symptoms and drinking-related outcomes. Multiple mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate effects of ADHD behaviors (i.e., hyperactivity-impulsivity, and inattention) and related impairment in major life domains (e.g., social interactions, occupational and educational activities, fulfillment of daily responsibilities) on drinking-related outcomes via positive and negative alcohol expectancies, controlling for sex, age, co-occurring oppositional behaviors, and data collection site. Inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and impairment directly predicted both personal and social problems consequent to alcohol use. Effects of ADHD behaviors and impairment on drinking-related personal and social problems were partially mediated by positive expectancies. Findings are consistent with and extend prior work supporting a role of positive alcohol expectancies in alcohol-related negative outcomes among college students experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of ADHD.     

The efficacy of cognitive–behavioral therapy for older adults with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial

Older adults with ADHD exhibit significant functional impairment, yet there is little research to guide clinicians in evidence-based care of these adults. This study examined response to treatment in older adults who participated in a previous study of the efficacy of cognitive–behavioral treatment (CBT) in adult ADHD. It was hypothesized that older adults would respond less well to CBT than younger adults, given the cognitive demands of the treatment. As described in the original publication, 88 adults who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD were randomized to receive either a manualized 12-week CBT group intervention targeting executive dysfunction or a parallel Support group. In the current study, outcomes for 26 adults, aged 50 or older, were compared with those of 55 younger adults with respect to inattentive symptoms assessed on a structured interview by a blind clinician, as well as on ratings by self and/or collateral on measures of attention, executive dysfunction, and comorbidity. Contrary to the hypothesis, older and younger adults were equally responsive to CBT on measures of attention. The older adults also responded as well to Support as to CBT on several outcome measures. The results provide preliminary evidence that CBT is an effective intervention for older adults with ADHD. The unexpected response to support highlights a possible age-specificity of effective therapeutic intervention that requires further investigation.     

A potential diagnostic blood test for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents, and adults remains controversial. Dramatic growth in the diagnosis of this disorder in both young people and adults has focused criticism on the subjective nature of the diagnostic procedure. A new blood test that measures blood cell membrane potential (expressed as membrane potential ratio [MPR(?)]) has been recently developed. The current study was performed to explore the potential utility of this blood test in diagnosis of ADHD. Consecutive outpatient children (n?=?89), adolescents (n?=?18), and adults (n?=?89) diagnosed with ADHD, or not (n?=?60, 17, and 92, respectively), provided sample in which the blood test was performed. ADHD subjects were relatively depolarized with an MPR(?) of 0.804?±?0.0381, compared to non-ADHD subjects, 0.684?±?0.0260 (P?相似文献   

Utilizing Saccharomyces in the classroom: a versatile organism for teaching and learning

In the world of higher education, one of the struggles instructors face in the classroom is engaging students in the material. A second discussion in higher education pedagogy is how to weigh content versus activity in the science classroom. How should college teaching be set up when students now have every fact ever found at their fingertips on a device no larger than a half sandwich? What is the correct balance in the classroom between content/ knowledge and activity? As instructors grapple with these questions, a new type of learning experience called the Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) has been developed, whereby students engage in an authentic research question in a classroom and laboratory setting. CUREs have been shown to be effective learning experiences for students but can be difficult to implement. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a versatile and easy to use organism in the classroom that can be used for a wide variety of classroom activities. Described herein are a number of ways an instructor can use yeast in the classroom for authentic research experiences, especially focused towards a CURE.     

Understanding deficient emotional self-regulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a controlled study

While symptoms of deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR) such as low frustration tolerance, temper outbursts, emotional impulsivity, and mood lability are commonly associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), little is known about their nature. The main aim of this post hoc study was to examine the correlates of DESR in a large sample of adults with and without ADHD. Subjects were 206 adults with ADHD and 123 adults without ADHD from a family study of ADHD. Emotional impulsivity was operationalized using items from the Barkley Current Behavior Scale. Subjects were comprehensively assessed for psychiatric comorbidity using structured diagnostic interview methodology. We used the Quality of Life, Enjoyment, and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (QLES-Q-SF) and Social Adjustment Scale-Self-report (SAS-SR) to assess quality of life and psychosocial functioning. DESR was more common among ADHD compared with non-ADHD adults, and 55 % of adults with ADHD reported extreme DESR of greater severity than 95 % of control subjects. The association of ADHD and DESR was not entirely accounted for by either current or lifetime comorbid disorders. DESR was also associated with significant functional impairment as evaluated by the QLES-Q-SF and SAS-SR, and with reduced marital status, as well as higher risk for traffic accidents and arrests. DESR adversely impacts quality of life in adults with ADHD. More work is needed to further evaluate DESR in clinical and investigational studies of subjects with ADHD.     

Do ADHD symptoms moderate the relation between positive alcohol expectancies and alcohol-related outcomes?

Research indicates that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be a risk factor for heavy alcohol use and related problems. Research also suggests that positive alcohol expectancies (i.e., positive beliefs about the effects of alcohol) are predictive of risky alcohol use and related problems (e.g., driving while intoxicated). However, no research has examined the association between ADHD symptoms and positive expectancies or the role of ADHD symptoms in the relation between positive expectancies and alcohol use and related problems, an unexplored area addressed by the current study. Participants were 889 undergraduates (76 % female, 82.3 % Caucasian) at a Southeastern University who completed self-report measures. Parent report (59 %) of current and childhood ADHD symptoms was also collected. Findings indicated that ADHD symptoms moderated the relation between positive alcohol expectancies and alcohol-related problems, but not the relation between expectancies and alcohol use. Additional analyses revealed that ADHD symptoms moderated the specific relation between positive expectancies and social alcohol problems (e.g., engaging in unplanned sexual behavior), but not between expectancies and internal alcohol problems (e.g., feeling sad). Moderating effects were significant even after controlling for conduct disorder symptoms and stimulant medication use. Findings have implications for the identification of college students who are at particularly high risk for heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems. Results may also aid in the development of interventions aimed at reducing risky drinking among students.     

ADHD stigma among college students

The current study examined ADHD stigma within a college-enrolled young adult population, including the debate regarding the cause of stigma: label or behavior. In Phase 1, 135 college students rated stigma toward one of the four fictitious partners described as having either: the label of ADHD alone, the behaviors associated with ADHD alone, the label of ADHD and a set of behaviors associated with ADHD, or neither the label nor behaviors. In Phase 2, 48 college students rated stigma toward one of the two assigned fictitious partners described as having either: the label of ADHD and a set of behaviors associated with ADHD, or the label of Depression and a set of behaviors associated with Depression. It was hypothesized that the interaction between the label and the behaviors would cause the highest levels of ADHD stigma and that ADHD would elicit more stigma than Depression. In Phase 1, stigma was associated with the behaviors of ADHD, but not the label. In Phase 2, ADHD and Depression were found to be equally stigmatized. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.     

Flanker performance in female college students with ADHD: a diffusion model analysis

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by poor adaptation to environmental demands, which leads to various everyday life problems. The present study had four aims: (1) to compare performance in a flanker task in female college students with and without ADHD (N = 39) in a classical analyses of reaction time and error rate and studying the underlying processes using a diffusion model, (2) to compare the amount of focused attention, (3) to explore the adaptation of focused attention, and (4) to relate adaptation to psychological functioning. The study followed a 2-between (group: ADHD vs. control) × 2-within (flanker conflict: incongruent vs. congruent) × 2-within (conflict frequency: 20 vs. 80 %) design. Compared to a control group, the ADHD group displayed prolonged response times accompanied by fewer errors in a flanker task. Results from the diffusion model analyses revealed that the members of the ADHD group showed deficits in non-decisional processes (i.e., higher non-decision time) and leaned more toward accuracy than participants without ADHD (i.e., setting higher boundaries). The ADHD group showed a more focused attention and less adaptation to the task conditions which is related to psychological functioning. Deficient non-decisional processes and poor adaptation are in line with theories of ADHD and presumably typical for the ADHD population, although this has not been shown using a diffusion model. However, we assume that the cautious strategy of trading speed of for accuracy is specific to the subgroup of female college students with ADHD and might be interpreted as a compensation mechanism.     

Prevalence of adult ADHD in an all-female prison unit

There is increasing evidence suggesting a link between ADHD and criminality, including a strong association between ADHD symptoms and the likelihood of being on probation or in prison. Most studies investigating the prevalence of ADHD in prison populations have focused on adult male offenders. In the current study, 69 female prisoners were screened for both childhood and adult ADHD symptoms using the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV. The results indicate that 41 % of the prisoners met the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in childhood and continued to meet criteria for ADHD as adults. More importantly, young female prisoners (aged 18–25) were significantly more likely to report symptoms of ADHD than older prisoners. Prisoners who reported symptoms of ADHD also reported high levels of impairment associated with these symptoms. A better understanding of the prevalence of ADHD in female prison units can highlight specific areas for intervention during rehabilitation, as well as the management of serious incidents within prison.     

Verbal fluency in adults diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood

It has been increasingly believed that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder with lifelong course associated with cognitive difficulties including among others, language production, verbal learning, and verbal fluency. However, research is limited to children and adolescents, and very few researchers have examined the impact of ADHD in adulthood on the cognitive domain. The aim of the present study is to examine the performance of adults, diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, on semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tasks. It is hypothesized that adults with ADHD will perform worse on both tasks than matched controls. Sixty university students (30 diagnosed with ADHD in childhood and 30 matched controls) of mean age 20.5 participated in the study. They all completed two verbal fluency tasks. The ADHD group had statistically significant lower scores than the non-ADHD group on the phonemic, but not the semantic task. The study provides some evidence that ADHD in childhood has a negative impact on adults’ phonemic verbal fluency. This finding could be probably explained by the fact that phonemic fluency is considered more cognitively demanding and impacting more on the frontal lobe functions, known to be impaired in ADHD, than semantic fluency.     

Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale: Self-Report

The Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale Self-Report has been translated into nine languages and has been widely used in assessing functional impairment of adults with ADHD. This study is a psychometric validation of the WFIRS-S in Japanese. The WFIRS-S-J and other questionnaires were administered to 46 adults with attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 104 control adults, and 889 university students. ADHD diagnoses were made using the Japanese semi-structured diagnostic interview for adult ADHD, which is compatible with the DSM-5. All subscales of the WFIRS-S-J had Cronbach’s α values of around 0.80. Total scores on the WFIRS-S-J had high test–retest reliability after a 2-week interval. The total score, subscale scores, and 59 of the individual item scores of the 70 items in the WFIRS-S-J were significantly higher in the ADHD group than in the other two groups, although more than half of the items in subdomain G (risk) showed floor effects and did not reach significance. Generally WFIRS-S-J subdomain scores were moderately correlated with scores on the Japanese version of Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales Self-Report subscales. WFIRS-S-J scores were also correlated (albeit more weakly; 0.31 ≤ r ≤ 0.55) with Beck Depression Inventory II total scores. The WFIRS-S-J showed acceptable psychometric properties, although further study is necessary.     

Structured skills training for adults with ADHD in an outpatient psychiatric context: an open feasibility trial

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-based skills training groups for adults with ADHD in an outpatient psychiatric context. Furthermore, the purpose was to analyze the impact of clinical characteristics on the effect and attrition. Ninety-eight adults (out of 102) with ADHD were allocated to the treatment. Self-rating scales were administered as baseline before the first session (T1), post-treatment (T2), and at 3-month follow-up (T3). Approximately 80 % (74 individuals) attended at least two-thirds of the sessions. Treatment satisfaction was good. ADHD symptoms and ADHD-related functional impairment in every-day life were reduced. Well-being, ability to be mindful, acceptance of emotions and quality of life were increased. The results were stable at 3-month follow-up. None of the predictors, i.e., age, comorbidity, ADHD medication status, IQ-level, treatment credibility, or functional impairment at the beginning of treatment, significantly predicted treatment outcome (change in ADHD symptoms from T1 to T2). Likewise, none of the predictors, i.e., irritability/aggression, comorbidity, and functional impairment, were significantly associated with attrition. Due to the difficulties in predicting treatment outcome, as well as attrition, based on clinical characteristics, broad inclusion criteria should be applied.     

College Students’ Perceptions of Intelligent Design

While numerous studies address college students’ (typically biology majors) perceptions of evolution, research on how students from a range of majors view intelligent design (ID) has not been conducted. In this study, a survey was administered to 692 students, only 2.2% of whom were biology majors, at a medium-sized Midwestern university. The data from this survey were analyzed to answer the following two research questions: (1) To what extent do college students believe ID is an alternative to, or a better explanation than, evolution? and (2) To what extent do college students believe ID represents a form of creationism? In addition to discussing the results of our analyses, we also provide possible implications of our findings for researchers and educators.     

ADHD and comorbid conduct problems among adolescents: associations with self-esteem and substance use

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common child and adolescent disorder that is associated with negative outcomes (e.g., emotional and behavioral problems, substance use) and is often comorbid with Conduct Problems (CP). Research findings are mixed as to whether youth with ADHD alone or comorbid ADHD/CP suffer from low self-esteem. Research has also shown links between low self-esteem and ADHD (alone and with CP) with substance use; yet, no research has examined the links between self-esteem and substance use in adolescents with ADHD and CP. The current study examined the relation between ADHD with and without comorbid CP and self-esteem, and whether self-esteem moderated the relation between ADHD and ADHD/CP with substance use among adolescents. We hypothesized that adolescents with comorbid ADHD/CP would experience lower self-esteem than adolescents with ADHD alone or with neither disorder and that self-esteem would moderate the association between ADHD, CP, and substance use. Participants were 62 adolescents who completed the laboratory-based study with a parent. Results suggested that adolescents with comorbid ADHD and CP had significantly lower self-esteem than adolescents with ADHD alone or neither disorder. Self-esteem was not significantly different for adolescents with ADHD alone versus those in the control group. There was one marginally significant interaction between ADHD and self-esteem predicting substance use, such that individuals with comorbid ADHD/CP who also had low self-esteem tended to use more substances. Results have implications for treatments that target adolescents with ADHD and comorbid CP, as these adolescents are at risk for many deleterious outcomes.     

Teaching and Research at Marine Stations: Present Priorities, Future Directions

SYNOPSIS. A conflict exists at many universities today betweenthe demand to maintain a competitive position as a researchinstitution, contributing to the rapidly advancing scholarshipin science, and the need to provide available and sympatheticcommunication between undergraduate students and the most vigorousfaculty. This conflict is especially apparent at marine stations.A marine station is usually geographically and politically isolatedfrom the main campus with its advantage of size and opportunitiesto obtain and share sophisticated equipment used in today'sscience. There is also a historical trend of smaller teachinglaboratories evolving into larger research-oriented facilities.And, financial support is not as readily available for researchand education in natural history and whole animal biology, idealsubjects for study at marine stations, as it is for some otherfields. In this presentation I examine the following questions:1. What is the role of teaching at marine stations today? 2.What are some of the current pressures that conflict with thisrole? and 3. What are some solutions to these conflicts? I approachthese questions from my experience as a teacher and researchscientist at a small marine station which has been concernedwith undergraduate teaching. I propose that marine field stationsof diverse sizes and roles, both teaching and research, canbe and should be supported financially and that this supportof diversity will return strong health to marine science nationallyand internationally.     

Multitasking in adults with ADHD

Adults with ADHD have problems in everyday multitasking situations presumably because of deficits in executive functions. The present study aims to find out (a) whether adults with ADHD show deficient multitasking performance in a standardized task, (b) how they perceive the multitasking situation, and (c) which task structure might be beneficial for them as compared with adults without ADHD. Therefore, we experimentally compared task performance, mood, and motivation in a group of 45 men with ADHD (M-age?=?34.47, SD?=?9.95) with a comparison group of 42 men without ADHD (M-age?=?31.12, SD?=?10.59) in three conditions: (a) a multitasking paradigm, (b) an interleaving condition in which tasks had to be performed without planning or monitoring, and (c) a non-interleaving condition. Our results showed no impaired multitasking performance in adults with ADHD. However, they showed better mood and more motivation in the non-interleaving condition.     

A population-based study of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and associated impairment in middle-aged adults

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition. It frequently persists into adulthood and can have serious health and other adverse consequences. The majority of previous adult ADHD studies have focused on young adults so that relatively little is known about ADHD symptoms and their effects in mid and late life. In addition, effects of subclinical levels of attention deficit and hyperactivity have not been studied in detail. In this study we investigated ADHD symptoms and related impairment in a large population-based sample of middle-aged Australian adults (n = 2091; 47% male). Applying the WHO adult ADHD Self Report Screener (ASRS) we observed that 6.2% of participants had scores that were previously associated with ADHD diagnosis. No significant gender difference in the distribution of ASRS scores was observed. Multiple regression analyses indicated strong positive correlations between symptoms of ADHD and depression/anxiety and significant negative associations (p<0.01) with employment, financial stress, relationship quality, health and well-being measures in this age group. Importantly, associations were highly significant even when few ADHD symptoms were reported. Compared to the hyperactivity component, the inattention trait was particularly strongly associated and remained significant after controlling for depression/anxiety symptoms. Our study confirms previous findings and significantly adds to existing literature especially for an age-group that has not been well-studied. Our results suggest that ADHD symptoms continue to be associated with ill-health and functional impairment in mid-life and are, therefore, likely to be a major, previously unrecognized source of late-life morbidity with associated social and economic costs. Thus, there is a compelling need for better understanding and development of age-appropriate approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in mid- to late-life.     

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Cognitive Abilities in the Late-Life Cohort of the PATH through Life Study

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neuropsychiatric disorder that has not been well studied in older adults. In this study we examined relationships between ADHD symptoms and cognitive ability and compared them between middle-age (MA; 48–52 years) and older-age (OA; 68–74 years) adults sampled from the same population. ADHD, mood disorder symptoms and cognitive abilities were assessed in a large population-based sample (n = 3443; 50% male). We measured current ADHD symptoms using the adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), which we found to have the same underlying structure in both cohorts. Older adults reported significantly lower levels of ADHD symptoms and 2.2% of the OA cohort scored equal or above the ASRS cut-off score of 14 (which has been previously associated with ADHD diagnosis) compared with 6.2% of MA adults. Symptom levels were not significantly different between males and females. Using multi-group structural equation modelling we compared ADHD symptom–cognitive performance relationships between the two age groups. Generally higher ADHD symptoms were associated with poorer cognitive performance in the MA cohort. However, higher levels of inattention symptoms were associated with better verbal ability in both cohorts. Surprisingly, greater hyperactivity was associated with better task-switching abilities in older adults. In the OA cohort ADHD symptom–cognition relationships are indirect, mediated largely through the strong association between depression symptoms and cognition. Our results suggest that ADHD symptoms decrease with age and that their relationships with co-occurring mood disorders and cognitive performance also change. Although symptoms of depression are lower in older adults, they are much stronger predictors of cognitive performance and likely mediate the effect of ADHD symptoms on cognition in this age group. These results highlight the need for age-appropriate diagnosis and treatment of comorbid ADHD and mood disorders.     

A Randomized,Double-Blind,Sham-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Background

Current standardized treatments for cognitive impairment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder remain limited and their efficacy restricted. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising tool for enhancing cognitive performance in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, the effects of tDCS in reducing cognitive impairment in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have not yet been investigated.

Methods

A parallel, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial was conducted to examine the efficacy of tDCS on the modulation of inhibitory control in adults with ADHD. Thirty patients were randomly allocated to each group and performed a go/no-go task before and after a single session of either anodal stimulation (1 mA) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or sham stimulation.

Results

A nonparametric two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum (Mann-Whitney) test revealed no significant differences between the two groups of individuals with ADHD (tDCS vs. sham) in regard to behavioral performance in the go/no go tasks. Furthermore, the effect sizes of group differences after treatment for the primary outcome measures—correct responses, impulsivity and omission errors—were small. No adverse events resulting from stimulation were reported.

Conclusion

According to these findings, there is no evidence in support of the use of anodal stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as an approach for improving inhibitory control in ADHD patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical study to assess the cognitive effects of tDCS in individuals with ADHD. Further research is needed to assess the clinical efficacy of tDCS in this population.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01968512