title: ADHD symptomatology in eating disorders: a secondary psychopathological measure of severity?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has commonly been described in psychiatric disorders. Although several studies have found positive associations between abnormal eating patterns during childhood and ADHD, there is a lack of studies on ADHD and Eating Disorders (ED). The aims of this exploratory study were 1) to assess the ADHD symptoms level in ED and to ascertain whether there are differences among ED subtypes; 2) to analyze whether the presence of ADHD symptoms is associated with more severe eating disorder symptoms and greater general psychopathology; and 3) to assess whether the ADHD symptoms level is associated with specific temperament and character traits.
  
  
  METHODS
  191 female ED patients were included. Assessment was carried out with the EDI-2, ASRS-v1.1, the SCL-90-R and the TCI-R.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ADHD symptoms level was similar in bulimia, eating disorder not otherwise specified and binge eating subtypes, and lower in anorexic patients. Obsessiveness and Hostility were significantly positively associated with ADHD symptoms. A path model showed that ADHD was associated with high Novelty Seeking and low Self-Directedness, whereas ED severity was influenced by ADHD severity and low Self-Directedness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bingeing/purging ED subtypes have a high ADHD symptoms level, also related with more severe eating, general and personality psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain. ffernandez@bellvitgehospital.cat
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández-Aranda
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Agüera
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Murcia
authors.forename: Jose Antoni
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramos-Quiroga
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Ana Beatriz
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Fagundo
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Granero
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Penelo
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riesco
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Jose Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Menchon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index