Relationship of high PTSD risk with severity of ADHD symptoms while controlling the effect of impulsivity in a sample of university students

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of high PTSD risk with severity of ADHD symptoms while controlling the effect of impulsivity in a sample of university students.MethodParticipants included 271 volunteered university students. Participants were evaluated with the Short Form Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11-SF), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and PTSD Checklist Civilian version (PCL-C).ResultsAge and gender did not differed between those with the high PTSD risk (n = 224, 82.7%) and those without (n = 47, 17.3%). BIS-11-SF and subscale scores, other than non-planning impulsivity (which showed no difference), and ASRS scores were higher among those with the high PTSD risk than those without. Severity of ADHD symptoms, particularly inattentiveness (IN) score, predicted the high risk of PTSD, together with the severity of motor impulsivity in a logistic regression model.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the severity of ADHD symptoms is related with the high risk of PTSD, while severity of motor impulsivity may have an effect on this relationship among young adults.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.