Prevalence and Correlates of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults From a French Community Sample

Abstract

Validated tools are lacking in languages such as French to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. The Adult ADHD Symptoms Self-Report (ASRS) was filled out by 1171 parents of 900 school-aged youths in the context of the Children and Parents With ADHD and Related Disorders study. Prevalence estimates based on three scoring methods are compared (6-item screener, all 18 items, or the screener followed by the 12 remaining items). On the basis of the recommended and more conservative scoring method, the overall prevalence of ADHD symptoms is estimated to be 2.99%, without significant group differences between sexes or between younger and older adults. Potential correlates of ADHD symptoms were also examined in their relatives (children, brothers/sisters, uncles/aunts, and parents) as follows: birth order, level of education, body mass index categories, enuresis, suicide attempts, depression, and learning disabilities. Adults can be screened for ADHD symptoms using the ASRS; negative long-term outcomes should be assessed in patients' relatives too.

Self-Rated ADHD Symptoms Among Biological Mothers or Fathers of Children with Confirmed ADHD in a French Population

“…The results are nonetheless comparable to those obtained in studies that examined the prevalence of adult ADHD in the general population (Fayyad et al, 2007;Caci et al, 2014).…”

“…This percentage exceeds the prevalence of adult ADHD in the worldwide general population, which stands at 2.5% (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and in the French general population, which has been estimated at 2.99% (Caci et al, 2014). In their study using solely the ASRS-V1.1, Caci et al (2014) reported a prevalence rate for adult ADHD of 11.27% in the French general population, which is far less than the rate observed in our study, i.e., 18.33%, on the basis of this same instrument. The rates are also higher than the prevalence rate of 7.3% reported by Fayyad et al (2007) in the French general population.…”

A multidimensional approach of impulsivity in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

“…Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders with estimated prevalence ranging from 3% to 5% in adults (Faraone and Biederman, 2005;Fayyad et al, 2007), with a 2.99% prevalence in France (Caci et al, 2014). Depending on the number of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity symptoms, the diagnostic formulation, as specified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), includes three distinct subtypes: (1) ADHD Predominantly Inattentive (ADHD-PI), (2) ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive,(ADHD-HI) and (3) ADHD Combined (ADHD-C) subtypes.…”

Therapy for ADHD Directed Towards Addressing the Dual Imbalances in Mental Effort and Reward as Illustrated in the Mental Effort-Reward Imbalances Model (MERIM)

“…It is also common in adults, with estimates varying from 2.8% to 4.7% [6][7][8]. People with ADHD have impaired functioning due to difficulties with sustaining attention and with controlling impulsive behaviour [9].…”