The role of self-compassion in mental health among early adulthood with ADHD symptoms: a network psychometric approach.

BACKGROUND

Previous research has primarily approached the interconnections between attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, self-compassion and mental health from a variable-centered perspective. However, few studies have explored how ADHD symptoms interacts with self-compassion and mental health at the symptom level. This study aims to construct a symptom network that elucidates the complex relationships among ADHD symptoms, self-compassion and mental health. It seeks to explore the bridging symptoms within this network, thereby informing the development of effective intervention strategies.

METHODS

The sample included 948 college students in early adulthood (ages 18-24 years). Participants completed questionnaires assessing ADHD symptoms (ASRS, WURS), personality (CBF-PI-B), self-compassion (SCS), life satisfaction (SWLS), and demographic information. We visualized the symptom network using the "qgraph" package and computed the expected influence of each node to identify bridge symptoms.

RESULTS

The study discovered that among college students in early adulthood, 6.5% exhibited symptoms exceeding the ADHD threshold. Specifically, the prevalence rate for inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms were 12.8% and 7.1%, respectively. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation was found between neuroticism and the following symptoms: Isolation (r = 0.71), Self-judgment (r = 0.63), and Overidentification (r = 0.71). The assessment of Bridge Expected Influence finds six bridge symptoms within the symptom network - Neuroticism, Inattention, Overidentification, Self-judgment, Oppositional/Defiant Behavior, and Isolation - each significantly impacting the network.

CONCLUSION

This study employed network analysis to elucidate the relationship between self-compassion, mental health, and ADHD at the symptom level. The results indicate a consistent association between neuroticism and negative self-compassion within the colledge student of ADHD symptoms. Additionally, neuroticism and oppositional/defiant behaviors in childhood were found to potentially influence ADHD symptoms in adulthood, while self-compassion emerged as a promising intervention particularly effective for inattention symptoms, but further research is needed to test its effectiveness.