Distinct ADHD symptom clusters differentially associated with personality traits.

OBJECTIVE

ADHD has been linked to various constructs, yet there is a lack of focus on how its symptom clusters differentially associate with personality, which this study addresses.

METHOD

The current study examines the relationship between impulsive and inattentive ADHD traits and personality, indexed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III), in a sample of undergraduates.

RESULTS

Impulsivity was associated with NEO-PI-R and MCMI-III traits characterized by emotional distress, interpersonal problems, and disruptive behavior, whereas inattention was associated only with focus-oriented constructs.

CONCLUSION

ADHD-related inattention is a relatively modest predictor of personality traits, as compared with hyperactivity-impulsivity. These findings have implications regarding the distinctiveness and etiology of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR) ADHD types.