Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes and their relation to cognitive functioning, mood states, and combat stress symptomatology in deploying U.S. soldiers.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes and neuropsychological functioning among U.S. soldiers.


METHODS
Deploying soldiers (N = 260) completed the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener. Cognitive tests, a deployment health-history questionnaire, and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Military Version were completed by subsamples of available participants.


RESULTS
The prevalence of positive ASRS screens was 10.4%. ASRS scores were correlated with PTSD avoidance (n = 63, p = 0.37, p = 0.003), hyperarousal (n = 63, p = 0.25, p = 0.047), and total PTSD scores (n = 62, p = 0.33, p = 0.009); and all six moods (e.g., anger, anxiety) scale scores (n = 110; p = -0.37 to 0.43). ASRS was also correlated with scores on the match-to-sample (n = 110, p = -0.23, p = 0.014) and emotional Stroop (n = 108, p = -0.23, p = 0.016) tasks. In addition, a differential pattern between subtypes of ADHD was noted with regard to cognitive functioning, mood, and combat stress symptomatology.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the results are preliminary given the sample size, the prevalence and comorbidities of ADHD appear to be similar among military and nonmilitary populations.
Department of Human Nutrition, Kansas State University, 212 Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
Jennifer A
JA
Hanson
Mark D
MD
Haub
Jennifer J
JJ
Walker
Daniel T
DT
Johnston
Briana S Nelson
BS
Goff
Michael N
MN
Dretsch
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D012890:Sleep; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult