Investigating ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Disturbances in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a prevalent condition affecting 2.5-5% of adults, impacting daily functioning. Sleep quality is essential for cognitive and socio-emotional well-being, and the association between ADHD symptoms and sleep disturbances necessitates identifying populations at risk. This study aimed to assess the associations between ADHD symptoms and sleep disorders by conducting a thorough assessment of sleep measures in a cross-sectional group of university students.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Recruiting participants from a Turkish university (n=503; mean age=21.3 ± 1.8 years), subgroups were formed based on ADHD scores from the Adult ADHD Self-report Scale. Sleep was assessed using the Van Dream Anxiety Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was employed to evaluate depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

ADHD symptoms group exhibited higher dream-related anxiety, PSQI, ESS, and BDI scores. Nightmares were more prevalent in the ADHD symptoms group. Subjective sleep measures showed differences in various domains, emphasizing poorer sleep quality in the ADHD symptoms group. Correlation analyses revealed intricate relationships between socio-economic factors, psychiatric health, family history, ADHD symptoms, nightmares, and sleep aspects.

CONCLUSION

University students with ADHD symptoms face increased susceptibility to insufficient sleep, impacting daytime functioning and academic performance. Findings underscore the need for increased attention to sleep health in this population.