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Is ADHD severity in adults associated with the lifetime prevalence of comorbid depressive episodes and anxiety disorders?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

V. Simon ,
P. Czobor  and
I. Bitter
V. Simon*
Affiliation:
Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Balassa u.6., 1083Budapest, Hungary
P. Czobor
Affiliation:
Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Balassa u.6., 1083Budapest, Hungary Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, USA
I. Bitter
Affiliation:
Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Balassa u.6., 1083Budapest, Hungary
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +36 1 2100 330; fax: +36 1 2100 336. E-mail address:simonviktoria@psych.sote.hu (V. Simon).
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Abstract

Purpose:

The objective of the present study was to examine the association between ADHD severity and the lifetime prevalence of comorbid depressive episodes and anxiety disorders in adults with ADHD.

Subjects/materials and methods:

Analyses were based on data of the Conner's Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) and a parent study examining the epidemiology of adult ADHD in 17 GP practices in Budapest, Hungary. Subjects between 18 and 60 years were included in the screening phase (n = 3529). Out of 279 positively screened subjects 161 participated in a clinical interview and completed the CAARS to confirm the diagnosis. We applied four diagnostic criteria: “DSM-IV”; “No-onset” (DSM-IV criteria without the specific requirement for onset); “Symptoms-only” (DSM-IV symptom criterion only); and “Reduced symptoms-only” (DSM-IV symptom criterion with a reduced threshold for symptom count). The MINI PLUS 5.0 was used to assess psychiatric comorbidity.

Results:

ADHD severity, as measured by the CAARS ADHD Index, showed a significant positive association with the prevalence of comorbid depressive episodes in all but the “ADHD_No-onset” group (“DSM-IV”: F[1.23] = 8.39, P = 0.0081; “No-onset”: F(1.27) = 0.97, P = 0.3346; “Symptoms-only”: F[1.55] = 30.79, P < 0.0001; “Reduced symptoms-only”: F(1.62) = 26.69, P < 0.0001).

Discussion and conclusion:

Results indicate that ADHD symptom severity increases in association with lifetime comorbidity with depression.

Keywords

Adult ADHDSeverityComorbidityDepressionAnxietyCAARS
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 28 , Issue 5 , June 2013 , pp. 308 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association

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