Adult ADHD. Analysis of self-ratings on a behavior questionnaire.

It is customary to acquire behavior ratings of children with ADHD from parents and teachers, but comparable informants are typically not available for adults. Self-rating is substituted. The present study presents self-ratings of ADHD and control adults on a 43-item scale. The groups differed significantly on all but 4 descriptors, and 3 sufficed to account for more than 50% of the variance, reflecting distractibility, impulsivity and lack of control of behavior, respectively. Discriminant analysis revealed 83% and 90% correct classification of ADHD and controls, respectively. The results support the usefulness of self-rating in adults with ADHD and corroborate the resemblance and continuity between childhood and adult ADHD.