The Positive Illusory Bias: An Examination of Self-Perceptions in Adults with ADHD Symptomatology

GOLDEN, CATHERINE M. , M.S., March 2007, Clinical Psychology THE POSITIVE ILLUSORY BIAS: AN EXAMINATION OF SELF-PERCEPTIONS IN ADULTS WITH ADHD SYMPTOMATOLOGY (110 pp.) Director of Thesis: Julie Sarno Owens The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the positive illusory bias is present in young adults demonstrating ADHD symptomatology. Further, if the positive illusory bias was found in this group, this study hoped to determine whether it was a function of ADHD, low achievement (i.e., lack of skill), or both. Ninety-nine college-age students participated in the research protocol. Participants were later categorized into three groups: ADHD (N=31), non-ADHD controls (N=39), and Subclinical ADHD (N=29). Participants completed a demographic measure, the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale – self-report-screening version (CAARS – S:SV), the Harter Self-Perception Profile for College Students (SPPCS), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (2 edition) – Abbreviated (WIAT-II-A), the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), and a logic task. T-tests revealed that the ADHD group underestimated their competence on three of four intellectual/scholastic domains significant more than did the control group. This finding is inconsistent with the child literature and suggests that adults with ADHD symptomatology may display a different pattern of self-perceptions as compared to that observed in children with ADHD symptomatology. Results replicated previous work (Kruger & Dunning, 1999) in that students who performed the lowest on the logic task, overestimated their competence the most, and student who performed the highest on the logic task underestimated their competence the most. This trend provides some support for the ignorance of incompetence effect. However, this phenomenon does not seem sufficient to explain the ADHD versus CTL group differences that were found in selfperceptions. Implications are discussed. Approved: Julie Sarno Owens Assistant Professor of Psychology Acknowledgments I owe many thanks to my research assistants, Laura Dirksing, Tara Juneja, Aubrey Micheli, and Lindsey Sims. Thank you, Carrie Murphy, Ph.D., for both your mentorship and friendship. To Jane Hamel-Lambert, Ph.D., for asking the “wrong” question at the “right” time and providing me with support in both my clinical and research endeavors. Thank you to my “Tri-State Graduate Peer Support Team”: Tricia O’Connor, Jessica Robb, and Emily Breighner. Special gratitude must be expressed to my second family and fellow graduate students who were present and supportive throughout this project: Dustin Hammers, Rebecca Hellenthal, Matt Lindberg, Krissy More, Erin Mark, Lindsay Orchowski, Lauren Richerson and Brad Spickard. Of course, my deepest appreciation to Nicole Evangelista for her steadfast encouragement and friendship throughout all facets of my graduate training as well as in “Life. ” I would like to thank two of my thesis committee members, Jeff Vancouver, Ph.D. and Julie Suhr, Ph.D., for their input and their willingness to provide consultation throughout various stages of this project. In addition, I would especially like to thank my advisor and thesis chair, Julie Sarno Owens, Ph.D., for her continual support and dedication not only to this project, but to me as a student. With her help, I was able to find motivation and reach a level of self-discipline that I wasn’t sure I could obtain. I am forever indebted to many immediate and extended family members for financial assistance, encouragement and love that have all been unconditionally granted. Lastly, a special thanks to my mother and father, sisters, Beth, Julie, and Emily, and brother, Andy, who always remind me what is truly important. 6 Table of