Toward an Increased Attention on ADHD Symptoms and Traits in Young Adults: Prevalence Data From Screening Tools in a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the prevalence of ADHD symptoms and traits in a heterogeneous clinical psychiatric sample of young adults (aged 18–24 years old), who referred to a specialized outpatient clinic for various psychiatric and psychological disturbances. Method: 259 participants completed three validated self-report screening questionnaires for ADHD: the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), the Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5 (ASRS-5), and the Conners’ adult ADHD rating scale (CAARS). Results: 12.4% of our sample scored above the cut-off at both the WURS and the ASRS-5 and was considered at risk of ADHD. Conclusion: the prevalence rate in our sample is higher than the one found in the adult general population (6.76%), and in the lower range of the one found in the adult clinical population (6.9%–38.8%). The potential role of sociodemographic (age, sex, gender identity, and employment) and comorbidity factors is discussed.