Personality profiles in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Previous studies suggested that the presence of ADHD in children and young adolescents may affect the development of personality. Whether or not the persistence of ADHD in adult life is associated with distinct personality patterns is still matter for debate. To address this issue, we compared the profiles of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) that assesses personality dimensions in 119 adults ADHD and 403 controls.



ANCOVA were used to examine group differences (controls vs. ADHD and ADHD inattentive type vs. ADHD combined + hyperactive/impulsive types) in Temperaments and Characters. Partial correlation coefficients were used to assess correlation between TCI and expression and severity of symptoms of ADHD.



High novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA) and self-transcendence (ST) scores as well as low self-directedness (SD) and cooperativeness (C) scores were associated with ADHD diagnosis. Low SD was the strongest personality trait associated with adult ADHD. Cases with the ADHD inattentive type showed higher HA and lower SD scores compared to the combined and hyperactive/impulsive types. High HA scores correlated with inattention symptoms whereas high NS and ST scores were related to hyperactive symptoms. Finally low SD and high NS were associated with increased ADHD severity.



Distinct temperaments were associated with inattentive versus hyperactive/impulsive symptoms supporting the heterogeneous nature of the disorder.
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. nader.perroud@hcuge.ch.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. nader.perroud@hcuge.ch.
Nader
N
Perroud
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Roland
R
Hasler
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Nicolas
N
Golay
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Julien
J
Zimmermann
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Paco
P
Prada
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Rosetta
R
Nicastro
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Jean-Michel
JM
Aubry
Section of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Stefano
S
Ardu
Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
François R
FR
Herrmann
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Panteleimon
P
Giannakopoulos
Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Patrick
P
Baud
D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D002605:Character; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013694:Temperament
ADHD; Attention; Hyperactivity; Impulsiveness; Personality; TCI