Psychiatric Comorbidity in Treatment-Seeking Alcohol Dependence Patients With and Without ADHD. Issue 12 (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roncero, Carlos; Ortega, Lluisa; Pérez-Pazos, Jesús; Lligoña, Anna; Abad, Alfonso C.; Gual, Antoni; Sorribes, Marta; Grau-López, Lara; Casas, Miquel; Daigre, Constanza
• Is Part Of: Journal of attention disorders. Volume 23:Issue 12(2019)
• Page Start: 1497
• Page End: 1504
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: adult ADHD -- alcohol dependence -- comorbidity; Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder -- Periodicals; Attention -- Periodicals; 616.8589
• DOI: 10.1177/1087054715598841
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1087-0547

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ADHD in adult patients treated for alcohol dependence and to analyze the characteristics of consumption and psychiatric comorbidity, in function of a possible ADHD in adulthood.Method: We administered the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) to 726 alcohol-dependent patients. Clinical diagnosis, following Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR ) criteria was made in the first four weeks of treatment. A subsample of 297 patients was evaluated using Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV (CAADID-II) to test the psychometric properties of ASRS.Results: After analyzing the properties of the ASRS (sensitivity: 83.3%; specificity: 66.1%), the prevalence of ADHD, in the whole sample, was estimated to be 16.2%. Being younger, lifetime history of cocaine dependence and the presence of an affective, anxiety or personality disorder were associated with a possible ADHD.Conclusion: The estimated prevalence of ADHD in patients being treated for alcohol dependence is high, and the presence of a possible ADHD in adulthood is associated with an increase in psychiatric comorbidity.