Objective
To explore the relationship between levels of reported depression, anxiety, and stress with scores on the Conners’s Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS).
Method
Information was obtained from 84 1st-year psychology students using the CAARS, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and the Life Experiences Survey (LES).
Results
Approximately 23%, 18%, and 12% of students scored above critical values on the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.,
DSM-IV) Inattention Symptoms, the
DSM-IV ADHD Symptoms Total, and the Inattention/Restlessness subscales, respectively. CAARS scores were positively related to reported levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, which accounted for significant variance among the three subscales. Only 5% of participants scored above recommended critical values on the ADHD index; however, a significant amount of the variance on this measure was also attributable to the DASS.
Conclusion
Mood symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress may obscure correct attribution of cause in those being evaluated for ADHD.