ADHD IN ADULTS--COMORBIDITIES AND ADAPTIVE IMPAIRMENTS

描述(申请人摘要)：尽管有大量关于 儿童的注意缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)很少 存在于其在成人中的表达。此外，目前的诊断标准， 在儿童身上发展起来，似乎不适合成年人。有关的信息 成年期及以后与ADHD相关的特殊形式的损害 对于它的临床评估，什么方法可能最合适？ 根本不存在。然而，我们的初步研究表明，成年人中的ADHD 极易患上特定的精神疾病 适应性功能障碍，如社会和婚姻关系， 就业困难和儿童管理。建议进行为期3年的研究。 为了评估ADHD的性质，现有的和新提出的 对于制定症状集的诊断标准，其价值 建立诊断的发病年龄标准，以及特定的 与成人ADHD相关的精神/心理并存。这个 这些共病障碍影响损害模式的方式 也有待研究。将利用多方法评估小组，并 还将研究与性别有关的可能影响。具体地说，240 门诊转诊的成人ADHD(男女各120人)和160个社区 将对对照成年人(男女各80人)进行研究。每个人都将是 就精神障碍以及困难接受采访 社会和心理功能、就业和教育 成就和成就。过去的教育记录也将被获得。 评估儿童时期以来是否有任何教育障碍史。一个 将使用一系列神经心理测试来评估持续的 注意力、冲动控制、满足延迟、工作记忆、感觉 时间和规划能力。结果应该提供重要的信息 关于成人ADHD的情况，以及对其诊断可能有用的标准。

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Abstract): Despite a wealth of information on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, very little exists on its expression in adults. Moreover, current diagnostic criteria, developed on children, do not seem appropriate for adults. Information on the specific forms of impairment associated with ADHD in adulthood and on what methods may be most appropriate for its clinical evaluation is almost nonexistent. Yet, our pilot studies indicate that ADHD in adults significantly predisposes toward specific psychiatric comorbidities and impairments in adaptive functioning, such as social and marital relations, employment difficulties, and child management. A 3 year study is proposed to evaluate the nature of ADHD, the utility of existing and newly proposed sets of symptoms for the development of diagnostic criteria, the value of establishing an age of onset criterion for diagnosis, and the specific psychiatric/psychologic comorbidities associated with ADHD in adults. The manner in which these comorbid disorders affect patterns of impairment will also be studied. A multi-method assessment battery will be utilized and possible effects related to gender will be examined. Specifically, 240 clinic-referred adults with ADHD (120 of each gender) and 160 community control adults (80 of each gender) will be studied. Each will be interviewed concerning psychiatric disorders as well as difficulties in social and psychological functioning, employment, and educational achievement and attainment. Past educational records will also be obtained to evaluate any history of educational impairment since childhood. A battery of neuropsychological tests will be used to assess sustained attention, impulse control, delay of gratification, working memory, sense of time, and planning ability. Results should provide important information about ADHD in adults and potentially useful criteria for its diagnosis.