Development and Validation of the Questionnaire for Adaptive Hyperactivity and Goal Achievement (AHGA)

Abstract

Objective: This paper illustrates the preliminary psychometric properties of the Questionnaire for Adaptive Hyperactivity and Goal Achievement (AHGA), aimed at measuring adaptive characteristics of hyperactivity and goal pursuit in older adults. Methods: The 12-item scale was administered to a sample of 120 subjects (older adults) between February 2022 and June 2022. The reliability of AHGA was measured using Cronbach’s alpha, and factor structure was established using parallel analysis (PA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Convergent validity was tested against the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN). Results: All included subjects have an average age of 74.1±5.1 years. AHGA reliability was good (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.713 [95%CI: 0.630 to 0.783]). Factor analysis suggested two main components: goal achievement and hyperactivity, which explained 41% of the variance in the data. The results support the convergent validity of the scale: AHGA measures adaptive characteristics of hyperactivity and goal pursuit, in contrast to BRIAN, which measures pathological characteristics. Conclusion: The reported findings represent an innovative approach to hyperthymic features by embracing a broader spectrum concept that conceptualizes the potential transition between pathological and adaptive aspects as a continuum.

Quality of Life in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Other Chronic Diseases: Highlighting the Amplified Impact of Depressive Episodes

“…The depressive episode is, in fact, common to major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder; a major depressive episode has a frequency clearly higher than that of bipolar disorder (of the order of 5/1) [38]. However, it is correct not to identify the episode with the disorder because many subthreshold conditions of bipolar disorder frequently have positive results in screening tests that are also due to non-pathological hyperactivity and therefore 'impact' on the percentage of positives [39,40]. The study therefore concerns the global impact of mood disorders rather than simple depression.…”

The impact of MDQ positivity on quality of life impairment: Does it support the hypothesis of “Dysregulation of Mood, Energy, and Social Rhythms Syndrome” (DYMERS)?

“…In fact, some elements, such as the attitude of hyperactivity, typical of bipolar disorder, can be found in people who do not suffer from this disorder in specific conditions of conflict or social danger, 32 and a high frequency of a genetic variant (the allele RS1006737 of the CACNA1C gene considered a risk factor for bipolar disorder) was found in elderly people with hyperactivity/novelty-seeking traits but who are perfectly socially integrated and without any psychiatric diagnosis. [33][34][35] In this framework, even admitting that the presence of the "at-risk variant" may be found also in the not-at-risk subgroup, this cannot cancel a possible BD-genetic variant association relationship but certainly cannot justify a 18 2.9 ± 7.4 0.004 (1, 208) 0.948 Fibromyalgia 29 4.77 ± 5.76 0.975 (1,78) 0.327 Wilson disease 19 3.2 ± 7.9 0.027 (1,23) 0.072 Celiac disease 17 3.4 ± 5.4 0.119 (1,67) 0.732 Carotidal atherosclerosis 20 3.4 ± 8.2 0.052 (1,53) 0.821 MDQ positivity 2.73 ± 2.44 Pivot linear correlation. An indirect confirmation of a possible interaction between other risk factors than the genetic variant RS1006737 of the CACNA1C gene comes from a study that had to compare the score of MDQ and the presence of the above-cited genetic variant as screeners of BD, against a diagnosis of bipolar disorder carried out by clinicians as the Gold Standard.…”

Screening, Genetic Variants, and Bipolar Disorders: Can Useful Hypotheses Arise from the Sum of Partial Failures?

“…Our recent line of research has shown that a specific variant associated with BD (CACNA1C rs1006737) was detectable in hyperactive elderly people without BD to an equal extent than in elderly people with BD, while non-hyperactive elderly people without BD had a much lower frequency of the variant in question [ 33 , 34 , 35 ].…”

“…Thus, although the two “case finding tools” (the CACNA1C variant and the MDQ) are both related to BD, they were found to be inadequate to identify the disorder with accuracy: the CACNA1C variant is actually common not only to the disorder, but also in people with hyperactivity without the disorder [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Whereas, the MDQ, as it is not specific to BD, would identify a non-specific risk common to other disorders as well [ 9 , 10 ].…”