ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study investigated psychological factors in patients with adult ADHD tendency and the relationship of adult ADHD tendency with depression and anxiety.METHODS: Ninety patients with depression(38 with adult ADHD and 52 with non-adult ADHD) were recruited in this study. All patients were subjected to the following tests : Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV(K-WAIS-IV), Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale(ASRS-v1.1), Lee Ji-Yeon's adult ADHD scale, Beck's Depression Inventory II(BDI-II), Beck's Anxiety Inventory(BAI), and Temperament Character Inventory-Revised Short version(TCI-RS).RESULTS: The adult ADHD group had higher scores for BDI-II and BAI, novelty-seeking, harm-avoidance, and self-transcendence than the non-adult ADHD group. Conversely, the adult ADHD group showed lower scores for self-directedness and cooperativeness than the non-adult ADHD group. Depression scores were positively correlated with ASRS(r=0.524, p=0.000), Lee Ji-Yeon's adult ADHD scale(r=0.598, p=0.000), anxiety scores(r=0.650, p=0.000), novelty-seeking(r=0.411, p=0.000), harm-avoidance(r=0.517, p=0.000), and self-transcendence(r=0.234, p=0.026). However, they were negatively correlated with persistence(r=−0.231, p=0.029), and self-directedness(r=−0.594, p=0.000). Higher Lee Ji-Yeon's adult ADHD scale scores and lower self-directedness scores among TCI, resulted in higher depression scores. In addition, anxiety scores increased in parallel with the the Lee Ji-Yeon's adult ADHD scale and harm-avoidance TCI scores.CONCLUSION: In this study, we found a difference in the severity of depression and anxiety between the adult and non-adult ADHD groups. In addition, it was confirmed that the difference in temperament and character between the two groups was related to adult ADHD tendency and severity of depression and anxiety.