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Internal and external validity of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a population-based sample of adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2004

J. J. SANDRA KOOIJ ,
JAN K. BUITELAAR ,
EDWIN J. van den OORD ,
JOHAN W. FURER ,
CEES A. TH. RIJNDERS  and
PAUL P. G. HODIAMONT
J. J. SANDRA KOOIJ
Affiliation:
Parnassia, psycho-medical centre, Den Haag, The Netherlands
JAN K. BUITELAAR
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
EDWIN J. van den OORD
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Utrecht and Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond VA, USA
JOHAN W. FURER
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
CEES A. TH. RIJNDERS
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands GGZ Midden-Brabant, Tilburg, The Netherlands
PAUL P. G. HODIAMONT
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands GGZ Midden-Brabant, Tilburg, The Netherlands Department of Health Psychology, University of Tilburg, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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Abstract

Background. Follow-up studies of childhood ADHD have shown persistence of the disorder into adulthood, but no epidemiological data are yet available.

Method. ADHD DSM-IV symptoms were obtained by self-report in an adult population-based sample of 1813 adults (aged 18–75 years), that was drawn from an automated general practitioner system used in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. The structure of ADHD symptoms was analysed by means of confirmatory factor analyses. Other data used in this report are the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), information about the presence of three core symptoms of ADHD in childhood, and about current psychosocial impairment.

Results. The three-factor model that allowed for cross-loadings provided the best fit in the entire sample. This result was replicated across gender and age subsamples. Inattentive and hyperactivity symptom scores were significantly associated with measures of impairment, even after controlling for the GHQ-28. Subjects with four or more inattentive or hyperactive–impulsive symptoms were significantly more impaired than subjects with two, one and no symptoms. The prevalence of ADHD in adults was 1·0% (95% CI 0·6–1·6) and 2·5% (1·9–3·4) using a cutoff of six and four current symptoms respectively, and requiring the presence of all three core symptoms in childhood.

Conclusions. These results support the internal and external validity of ADHD in adults between 18 and 75 years. ADHD is not merely a child psychiatric disorder that persists into young adulthood, but an important and unique manifestation of psychopathology across the lifespan.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , June 2005 , pp. 817 - 827
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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