Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
Self-Identification with the Diagnosis of ADHD and its Relationship to Performance on Self-Report and Objective Measures
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Stuart Hall
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Psychology
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Purpose Research has shown that how strongly one identifies with a stereotype can impact performance on cognitive tests. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the level of identification with a diagnosis of ADHD and performance on self-report and objective measures commonly used in the diagnosis of ADHD.
Methods Participants were 21 college-age adults with a prior ADHD diagnosis. Each participant’s level of identification with their diagnosis of ADHD was determined using a single question Likert-type self-identification scale. Participants were also administered the Conners’ Continuous Performance Task (CPT-II) and the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) sections 1-3.
Originality To date, no other research has examined “diagnosis identification” and its relationship with performance on self-report and objective measures. One might expect to find a relationship between how much someone identifies with a diagnosis of ADHD and his/her performance on an objective measure used to assess for ADHD, however, this was not the case. No significant correlation was found between scores on the self-identification scale and performance on the objective measure.
Significance These results demonstrate the importance of considering to what extent someone identifies with their ADHD diagnosis. An individual’s degree of identification with the diagnosis of ADHD may not correlate with that individual’s performance on an objective measure, or may serve to inflate self-report scores. These results suggest that no single assessment tool should be used in isolation when making an initial diagnosis of ADHD. Further investigation into the role of "diagnosis identification" and how that may impact self-report and objective test results is needed.
Self-Identification with the Diagnosis of ADHD and its Relationship to Performance on Self-Report and Objective Measures
UC Ballroom
Purpose Research has shown that how strongly one identifies with a stereotype can impact performance on cognitive tests. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the level of identification with a diagnosis of ADHD and performance on self-report and objective measures commonly used in the diagnosis of ADHD.
Methods Participants were 21 college-age adults with a prior ADHD diagnosis. Each participant’s level of identification with their diagnosis of ADHD was determined using a single question Likert-type self-identification scale. Participants were also administered the Conners’ Continuous Performance Task (CPT-II) and the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) sections 1-3.
Originality To date, no other research has examined “diagnosis identification” and its relationship with performance on self-report and objective measures. One might expect to find a relationship between how much someone identifies with a diagnosis of ADHD and his/her performance on an objective measure used to assess for ADHD, however, this was not the case. No significant correlation was found between scores on the self-identification scale and performance on the objective measure.
Significance These results demonstrate the importance of considering to what extent someone identifies with their ADHD diagnosis. An individual’s degree of identification with the diagnosis of ADHD may not correlate with that individual’s performance on an objective measure, or may serve to inflate self-report scores. These results suggest that no single assessment tool should be used in isolation when making an initial diagnosis of ADHD. Further investigation into the role of "diagnosis identification" and how that may impact self-report and objective test results is needed.