The Effects of Inattentiveness and Hyperactivity on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: Does a Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Matter?

Zachary Adams; Thomas Adams; Kirstin Stauffacher; Howard Mandel; Zhewu Wang

doi:10.1177/1087054715580846

The Effects of Inattentiveness and Hyperactivity on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: Does a Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Matter?

Zachary Adams
, Thomas Adams
, Kirstin Stauffacher
, Howard Mandel
, Zhewu Wang

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To address the nature of associations between ADHD symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychopathology in adult military veterans. Method: Ninety-five combat veterans, with PTSD (n = 63) and without PTSD (n = 32), were recruited for this study. PTSD was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and ADHD was assessed with Connors’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale−Self-Report: Short Version (CAARS-S:S). Results: PTSD participants endorsed greater hyperactivity or restlessness, inattention or memory problems, and impulsivity or emotional lability scores than participants without PTSD. Among PTSD participants, inattention or memory problems and impulsivity or emotional lability were significant predictors of total PTSD symptoms, but only inattention or memory problems significantly predicted PTSD symptoms when other ADHD symptom clusters were considered simultaneously. Conclusion: Our data suggest that inattention may serve as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms following combat exposure.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1246-1254
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	24
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715580846
State	Published - Jul 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 SAGE Publications.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported in part by the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and the Clinical Sciences Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (Merit Review grant # 1I01CX000487-01A1), as well as K12 DA031794.

Funders	Funder number
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs	1I01CX000487-01A1, K12 DA031794

Keywords

PTSD
adult ADHD
cognitive functioning
inattention

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Access to Document

10.1177/1087054715580846

Cite this

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title = "The Effects of Inattentiveness and Hyperactivity on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: Does a Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Matter?",

abstract = "Objective: To address the nature of associations between ADHD symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychopathology in adult military veterans. Method: Ninety-five combat veterans, with PTSD (n = 63) and without PTSD (n = 32), were recruited for this study. PTSD was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and ADHD was assessed with Connors{\textquoteright} Adult ADHD Rating Scale−Self-Report: Short Version (CAARS-S:S). Results: PTSD participants endorsed greater hyperactivity or restlessness, inattention or memory problems, and impulsivity or emotional lability scores than participants without PTSD. Among PTSD participants, inattention or memory problems and impulsivity or emotional lability were significant predictors of total PTSD symptoms, but only inattention or memory problems significantly predicted PTSD symptoms when other ADHD symptom clusters were considered simultaneously. Conclusion: Our data suggest that inattention may serve as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms following combat exposure.",

keywords = "PTSD, adult ADHD, cognitive functioning, inattention",

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AU - Mandel, Howard

AU - Wang, Zhewu

PY - 2020/7/1

Y1 - 2020/7/1

N2 - Objective: To address the nature of associations between ADHD symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychopathology in adult military veterans. Method: Ninety-five combat veterans, with PTSD (n = 63) and without PTSD (n = 32), were recruited for this study. PTSD was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and ADHD was assessed with Connors’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale−Self-Report: Short Version (CAARS-S:S). Results: PTSD participants endorsed greater hyperactivity or restlessness, inattention or memory problems, and impulsivity or emotional lability scores than participants without PTSD. Among PTSD participants, inattention or memory problems and impulsivity or emotional lability were significant predictors of total PTSD symptoms, but only inattention or memory problems significantly predicted PTSD symptoms when other ADHD symptom clusters were considered simultaneously. Conclusion: Our data suggest that inattention may serve as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms following combat exposure.

AB - Objective: To address the nature of associations between ADHD symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychopathology in adult military veterans. Method: Ninety-five combat veterans, with PTSD (n = 63) and without PTSD (n = 32), were recruited for this study. PTSD was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and ADHD was assessed with Connors’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale−Self-Report: Short Version (CAARS-S:S). Results: PTSD participants endorsed greater hyperactivity or restlessness, inattention or memory problems, and impulsivity or emotional lability scores than participants without PTSD. Among PTSD participants, inattention or memory problems and impulsivity or emotional lability were significant predictors of total PTSD symptoms, but only inattention or memory problems significantly predicted PTSD symptoms when other ADHD symptom clusters were considered simultaneously. Conclusion: Our data suggest that inattention may serve as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms following combat exposure.

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The Effects of Inattentiveness and Hyperactivity on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: Does a Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Matter?

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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