Validation of the adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder quality-of-life Scale (AAQoL): a disease-specific quality-of-life measure.
BACKGROUND
A growing body of evidence suggests that symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persist into adulthood and are associated with ongoing impairment and co-morbidity. The absence of a conceptually sound and well-validated ADHD-specific quality-of-life measure has been an obstacle to understanding this impact. To address this gap, the Adult ADHD Quality-of-Life Scale (AAQoL) was developed based on well accepted methods for designing patient reported outcomes. The purpose of this study was to validate the AAQoL.


METHODS
Nine Hundred and Eighty Nine adults in a retrospective cohort study were administered the AAQoL and psychometric validation was conducted according to an a priori statistical analysis plan.


RESULTS
A 29-item AAQoL was found to have robust scale structure with four domains: Life Productivity, Psychological Health, Relationships and Life outlook. Internal consistency was adequate (0.93 for overall, 0.75-0.93 for subscales), and construct and known-groups validity were supported. conclusion: The AAQoL appears to be a valid measure of quality of life for adults with ADHD and can be considered for incorporation into future studies. The ability to quantify the quality-of-life consequences of adult ADHD should facilitate future research, assist clinicians in identifying appropriate treatment targets and contribute to the ultimate goal of improving the well-being and functioning of adults with ADHD.
Brod
Meryl
M
The BROD GROUP, 219 Julia Avenue, Mill Valley, California 94941, USA. mbrod@thebrodgroup.net
Johnston
Joseph
J
Able
Stephen
S
Swindle
Ralph
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires