title: Current Mood Symptoms Do Not Affect the Accuracy of Retrospective Self-Ratings of Childhood ADHD Symptoms.
abstract: Given that the diagnosis of adulthood ADHD depends on the retrospective self-report of childhood ADHD symptoms, this study aimed to establish whether current mood affects the accuracy of retrospective self-ratings of childhood ADHD.
  
  
  
  Barkley's Adult ADHD Rating Scale (BAARS) was used to assess the retrospective self- and parent-reports of childhood ADHD symptoms of 160 adults with ADHD and 92 adults without ADHD. Self-rated current mood was also measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
  
  
  
  Higher BAARS self-ratings correlated with higher HADS self-ratings. Strongest correlations were evident between hyperactive/impulsive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. There was no relationship between current mood and accuracy of self-report.
  
  
  
  Current mood does not affect the accuracy of retrospective self-ratings of ADHD. Future research should aim to provide new measures of anxiety in ADHD to avoid the double counting of hyperactive/impulsive and anxiety symptoms.
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grogan
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland jessica.bramham@ucd.ie.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bramham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001007:Anxiety; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report
keywords: ADHD; adult ADHD; anxiety