Comparison of clinical and cognitive characteristics of a Mexican adult clinical population with and without ADHD
Authors: Palacios-Cruz L ,   Subdirección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México, México., Galicia F , Arias-Caballero A , Cárdenas Godínez EM , Vásquez-Medina J , Mayer-Villa P , Feria Aranda M , Cruz-Fuentes C , De la Peña F , Ulloa Flores RE , Rosetti M , Reyes-Zamorano E , Nafate O , Fragoso A , Ortiz S , Jaimes A , Garza Gallegos K , Lara-Muñoz MC ,   Subdirección de Consulta Externa, Dirección de Servicios Clínicos, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Ciudad de México, México.,   Departamento de Psicofarmacología del Desarrollo, Hospital Psiquiátrico Infantil Juan N. Navarro, Ciudad de México, México.,   Departamento de Fomento a la Investigación, Dirección de Servicios Clínicos, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñíz, Ciudad de México, México.,   Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.,   Departamento de Investigaciones en Psicología y Salud Mental, Universidad Anáhuac del Sur, Ciudad de México, México.,   Clínica de Salud Mental del Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, México.,   Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México.,   Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.,   Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Londres, Ciudad de México, México.,   Facultad de Medicina Benemérita, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México.
Published: December 2018

Introduction. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 5% of the world population, with symptoms that may persist into adulthood. Despite the findings on the clinical course of this disorder, information regarding comorbidity patterns, psychosocial and executive functioning in adult life in those with and without ADHD in Latin American samples is scarce. Objective. The aim of this study is to compare the comorbidity pattern, psychosocial, and executive functioning of adults with and without ADHD from a clinical sample. Method. One hundred and fifty-one patients between 20 and 45 years, with screened positively on ASRS-V1.1, were invited to continue an evaluation process as part of clinical research program (PROMETEO): 1) K-SADS-PL Mx interview, 2) MINI-Plus interview, ASRS-V1-1 18 item version, BRIEF self-reported questionnaire, SCQA-ADHD, and 3) Individual case review by clinical expert in ADHD. Results. Individuals in the ADHD group had a higher average of comorbid disorders (2.5 SD 1.1 vs. 1.3 SD 1.0 respectively, F = .439; t = -6.621; df = 149; p < .001), more likelihood of procrastinating (OR = 6.5; 95% CI[2.6, 16.2]; z = 4.0) and were more likely to present difficulties in both the behavior regulation index (OR = 104.9; 95% CI[31.8, 345.7]; z = 7.65) and the metacognitive index (OR = 94.79; 95% CI[29.10, 308.76]; z = 7.56) compared to the non-ADHD group, regardless of gender. Discussion and conclusions. Our results indicate that the ADHD adult group presented with more comorbidity, and worse psychosocial and executive functioning than non-ADHD adults.