Two Facets of Emotion Dysregulation Are Core Symptomatic Domains in Adult ADHD: Results from the SR-WRAADDS, a Broad Symptom Self-Report Questionnaire.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES\nEmotional dysregulation (ED) in adult ADHD is frequent but definition and tools for its evaluation are not consensual. Our aim was to determine the core ADHD symptomatic domains via the Self-Reported Wender-Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (SR-WRAADDS) following its validation in a large clinical sample of adults with ADHD and controls.\n\n\nMETHOD\nThree hundred sixty-nine adult patients with ADHD and 251 healthy participants completed the SR-WRAADDS and questionnaires about ADHD, depression, and ED. We analyzed the psychometric properties of the SR-WRAADDS and a factor analysis yielded symptomatic domains.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe SR-WRAADDS has good reliability. The 30 symptoms were best organized in a four-factor solution: attention/disorganization, hyperactivity/restlessness, impulsivity/emotional outbursts, and emotional lability.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThe symptomatic structure of the SR-WRAADDS includes two distinct dimensions related to ED: impulsivity/emotional outbursts and emotional lability. The SR-WRAADDS is a reliable and clinically useful tool that assesses all ADHD symptom domains, including facets of ED.