An examination of shared variance in self-report and objective measures of attention in the incarcerated adult population.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was designed to test some assumptions about screening procedures for ADHD in adults.


METHODS
Twenty-eight incarcerated male adults completed a self report scale of attention deficits as a part of an examination of attention and reading skills. Further assessment of attention included a battery of tests that assessed vigilance, attention shifts, and other aspects of cognitive control.


RESULTS
Fifty seven percent of the sample showed test performance indicating a high probability of ADHD. Correlation analyses yielded significant effects for self report scales and objective tests of attention.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the assumption that the self report measures share a significant part of the variance with tests of attention commonly used in clinical assessment. However, the risk of making both false positive and false negative inferences about ADHD is present, as the specificity and the sensitivity of the rating scale needs to be further explored.
Asbjørnsen
Arve E
AE
Bergen Cognition and Learning Group, Faculty of Psychology, The University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. asbjornsen@uib.no
Jones
Lise Ø
LØ
Munkvold
Linda H
LH
Obrzut
John E
JE
Manger
Terje
T
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity