Functional impairments among adults with ADHD: A comparison with adults with other psychiatric disorders and links to executive deficits

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate daily life functioning in adults with ADHD and adults with other psychiatric disorders and to compare ADHD subgroups with or without executive deficits. Daily life functioning was assessed using self-ratings covering the following domains: academic/occupational functioning, social relations, daily life problems, and criminality. Executive deficits were assessed using self-ratings and laboratory tests of working memory, inhibition, and shifting. The results showed that adults with ADHD were more impaired with regard to academic functioning, current occupational status, daily life functioning, criminality, and some aspects of social functioning. The ADHD subgroup with executive deficits had more impairments than the subgroup without executive deficits with regard to academic functioning, current occupational status, and criminality. Conclusively, ADHD in adulthood is related to significant impairment in many areas of daily functioning, also compared to patients with other psychiatric disorders. Executive functioning deficits appear to at least partly explain these impairments.

Keywords: ADHD; academic functioning; criminality; executive deficits; occupational functioning; social relations.