Driving anger and driving behavior in adults with ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
This study assesses whether anger in the context of driving is associated with the negative driving outcomes experienced by individuals with ADHD.


METHODS
ADHD adults (n = 56) complete measures of driving anger, driving anger expression, angry thoughts behind the wheel, and aggressive, risky, and crash-related behavior. Results are compared to two non-ADHD control groups: one from the same community as the ADHD sample (n = 106) but that did not complete all instruments and the other from college students (n = 432) who completed all instruments.


RESULTS
ADHD participants report more driving anger and aggressive expression through the use of their vehicle and less adaptive and constructive anger expression than their non-ADHD peers. Adult ADHD drivers rate themselves as more angry, risky, and unsafe drivers and report experiencing more losses of concentration and vehicular control than college students.


CONCLUSIONS
Results are discussed with regard to drivingrelated problems for drivers with ADHD.
Richards
Tracy L
TL
Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1976, USA. tracy.richards@colostate.edu
Deffenbacher
Jerry L
JL
Rosén
Lee A
LA
Barkley
Russell A
RA
Rodricks
Trisha
T
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires