Neuropsychological correlates of the YAQ-S and YAQ-I self- and informant-reported ADHD symptomatology, emotional and social problems and delinquent behaviour.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the relationship between self- and informant-rated symptoms of ADHD and performance on neuropsychological tests of attention and impulsivity (Letter Cancellation Test [LCT], Continuous Performance Test [CPT] and Matching Familiar Figures test [MFF]).


METHODS
Participants were clinical referrals for assessment of ADHD in adulthood and healthy controls.


METHODS
ADHD adults were compared with individuals with mild psychiatric disorders (including attention problems), a healthy control group on neuropsychological measures of attention (CPT and LCT) and on impulsivity (MFF). Secondly, the scores obtained on these measures were correlated with the Young ADHD Questionnaire-S (YAQ-S) and Young ADHD Questionnaire-I (YAQ-I) self- and informant-reported scales of ADHD symptomatology, emotional problems, delinquency, and social functioning.


RESULTS
The ADHD group were more impaired than the healthy controls on neuropsychological measures, but only the MFF differentiated them from the psychiatric controls. Tests of attentional control positively correlated with the selfreported functioning of the ADHD group but not among the psychiatric or normal controls. There was a positive correlation between tests of attention (but not impulsivity) and self-ratings of ADHD symptomatology for the ADHD group, suggesting that ADHD adults are better at recognizing attentional problems than impulse control. A positive correlation was found between the Delinquency scale and a test of impulsivity for the ADHD group only.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that there are neuropsychological underpinnings of the ADHD syndrome but neuropsychological tests may discriminate poorly between ADHD and mild psychiatric disorders. ADHD adults may be more reliable informants of adult functioning than their parents, although they may underreport impulsive behaviour.
Young
Susan
S
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, UK. Susan.Young@slam.nhs.uk
Gudjonsson
Gisli H
GH
D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015588:Observer Variation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires