title: Evaluating the construct validity of adult ADHD and SCT among college students: a multitrait-multimethod analysis of convergent and discriminant validity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To advance our understanding of adult ADHD and sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), the present study investigates their construct validity by exploring the nature of trait- and method-related variance in self- and parent-ratings of ADHD and SCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) design, response variance in college undergraduates' (n = 3,925) and a subset of their parents' (n = 2,242) ratings was decomposed into method, trait, and error-specific variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global evidence for convergent and discriminant validity was supported, but parameter-level comparisons suggest that method effects, situational specificity, and ADHD's core feature--inattention--are prominent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This investigation offers two important conclusions: (a) SCT appears to be a related but separate factor from ADHD; and (b) self- and parent-ratings of emerging adult ADHD exhibit low to moderate correlations and support the situational specificity hypothesis, suggesting that multiple raters should be consulted when assessing adult ADHD. Implications of these findings and recommendations for the continued study of SCT are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Boulder, USA daniel.leopold@colorado.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Leopold
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Boulder, USA.
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: University of Denver, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Boulder, USA.
authors.forename: Erik G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Willcutt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; MTMM; adult ADHD; construct validity; hyperactivity; inattention; sluggish tempo