Complete Schedule
Sex Differences in Adult ADHD Symptom
Award Winner
Recipient of the 12th Annual Graduate Student Symposium Scholarship Award, Poster Presentations - First Place (2019)
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Presentation Type
Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Keywords
Attention-deficit disorder in adults--Sex differences;
Abstract
It has been established that the presentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) differs by sex, with boys having higher rates of ADHD in childhood (Gaub & Carlson, 1997; Gershon, 2002). However, ADHD is less well-studied in adulthood, and a more nuanced understanding of sex differences in adulthood is warranted. As such, the current study examined group differences in current ADHD symptoms by sex and by prior diagnosis, as ADHD is neurodevelopmental and this would likely be predictive of future endorsement of symptoms. As part of a large, online multisite study, college undergraduates (n = 2,105) completed surveys of current ADHD symptoms. We examined differences by biological sex, as well as self-endorsement of prior diagnosis of ADHD. In a series of two (sex) by two (past ADHD diagnosis) ANOVA tests were conducted for current levels of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and combined symptoms. Significant sex by past diagnosis interactions were found for inattention: F (2, 1875) = 15.33, p < .001; hyperactivity/impulsivity: (2, 1850) = 18.33, p < .001; and combined symptoms: (2, 1817) = 18.90, p < .001. These interactions suggest that women with a past diagnosis of ADHD report the highest levels of ADHD symptoms. The results indicate that women with a past diagnosis of ADHD experience higher levels of current ADHD symptoms than men, indicating the need for improved treatment of ADHD for college women. Further discussion and clinical implications will be included in our final poster.
Start Date
3-4-2019 11:00 AM
End Date
3-4-2019 1:00 PM
Year of Award
2019 Award
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Lefler
Department
Department of Psychology
Copyright
©2019 Anna Garner
File Format
application/pdf
Embargo Date
4-17-2019
Sex Differences in Adult ADHD Symptom
It has been established that the presentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) differs by sex, with boys having higher rates of ADHD in childhood (Gaub & Carlson, 1997; Gershon, 2002). However, ADHD is less well-studied in adulthood, and a more nuanced understanding of sex differences in adulthood is warranted. As such, the current study examined group differences in current ADHD symptoms by sex and by prior diagnosis, as ADHD is neurodevelopmental and this would likely be predictive of future endorsement of symptoms. As part of a large, online multisite study, college undergraduates (n = 2,105) completed surveys of current ADHD symptoms. We examined differences by biological sex, as well as self-endorsement of prior diagnosis of ADHD. In a series of two (sex) by two (past ADHD diagnosis) ANOVA tests were conducted for current levels of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and combined symptoms. Significant sex by past diagnosis interactions were found for inattention: F (2, 1875) = 15.33, p < .001; hyperactivity/impulsivity: (2, 1850) = 18.33, p < .001; and combined symptoms: (2, 1817) = 18.90, p < .001. These interactions suggest that women with a past diagnosis of ADHD report the highest levels of ADHD symptoms. The results indicate that women with a past diagnosis of ADHD experience higher levels of current ADHD symptoms than men, indicating the need for improved treatment of ADHD for college women. Further discussion and clinical implications will be included in our final poster.
