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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Personality profiles in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Authors: Nader Perroud, Roland Hasler, Nicolas Golay, Julien Zimmermann, Paco Prada, Rosetta Nicastro, Jean-Michel Aubry, Stefano Ardu, François R Herrmann, Panteleimon Giannakopoulos, Patrick Baud

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

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.

Methods

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.

Results

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.

Conclusions

Distinct temperaments were associated with inattentive versus hyperactive/impulsive symptoms supporting the heterogeneous nature of the disorder.
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Metadata
Title
Personality profiles in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Authors
Nader Perroud
Roland Hasler
Nicolas Golay
Julien Zimmermann
Paco Prada
Rosetta Nicastro
Jean-Michel Aubry
Stefano Ardu
François R Herrmann
Panteleimon Giannakopoulos
Patrick Baud
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0906-6

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