DSM-5 and Other Symptom Thresholds for ADHD: Which Is the Best Predictor of Impairment in College Students?

Cynthia M. Hartung; Elizabeth K. Lefler; Will H. Canu; Anne E. Stevens; Maryanne Jaconis; Patrick A. LaCount; Christopher R. Shelton; Daniel R. Leopold; Erik G. Willcutt

doi:10.1177/1087054716629216

DSM-5 and Other Symptom Thresholds for ADHD: Which Is the Best Predictor of Impairment in College Students?

Cynthia M. Hartung, Elizabeth K. Lefler, Will H. Canu, Anne E. Stevens, Maryanne Jaconis, Patrick A. LaCount, Christopher R. Shelton, Daniel R. Leopold, Erik G. Willcutt

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

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

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Approximately 5% of adults have ADHD. Despite recommendations regarding the diagnosis of emerging adults, there is not a strong consensus regarding the ideal method for diagnosing ADHD in both emerging and mature adults. We were interested in determining whether a threshold of four, five, or six ADHD symptoms would be associated with significantly different levels of functional impairment and be more or less indicative of a potential ADHD diagnosis. Method: We examined the relation between functional impairment and these ADHD symptom thresholds in 2,577 college students. Results: Our findings suggest that none of these symptom thresholds are differentially better at predicting functional impairment. Conclusion: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) threshold of five symptoms for ages 17 years and older is not necessarily predictive of ADHD-related impairment in college students and may not be preferable to other thresholds. Options for resolving this diagnostic dilemma are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1637-1646
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	23
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054716629216
State	Published - Nov 1 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Developmental and Educational Psychology
Clinical Psychology

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title = "DSM-5 and Other Symptom Thresholds for ADHD: Which Is the Best Predictor of Impairment in College Students?",

abstract = "Objective: Approximately 5% of adults have ADHD. Despite recommendations regarding the diagnosis of emerging adults, there is not a strong consensus regarding the ideal method for diagnosing ADHD in both emerging and mature adults. We were interested in determining whether a threshold of four, five, or six ADHD symptoms would be associated with significantly different levels of functional impairment and be more or less indicative of a potential ADHD diagnosis. Method: We examined the relation between functional impairment and these ADHD symptom thresholds in 2,577 college students. Results: Our findings suggest that none of these symptom thresholds are differentially better at predicting functional impairment. Conclusion: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) threshold of five symptoms for ages 17 years and older is not necessarily predictive of ADHD-related impairment in college students and may not be preferable to other thresholds. Options for resolving this diagnostic dilemma are discussed.",

author = "Hartung, {Cynthia M.} and Lefler, {Elizabeth K.} and Canu, {Will H.} and Stevens, {Anne E.} and Maryanne Jaconis and LaCount, {Patrick A.} and Shelton, {Christopher R.} and Leopold, {Daniel R.} and Willcutt, {Erik G.}",

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doi = "10.1177/1087054716629216",

language = "English (US)",

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T2 - Which Is the Best Predictor of Impairment in College Students?

AU - Hartung, Cynthia M.

AU - Lefler, Elizabeth K.

AU - Canu, Will H.

AU - Stevens, Anne E.

AU - Jaconis, Maryanne

AU - LaCount, Patrick A.

AU - Shelton, Christopher R.

AU - Leopold, Daniel R.

AU - Willcutt, Erik G.

PY - 2019/11/1

Y1 - 2019/11/1

N2 - Objective: Approximately 5% of adults have ADHD. Despite recommendations regarding the diagnosis of emerging adults, there is not a strong consensus regarding the ideal method for diagnosing ADHD in both emerging and mature adults. We were interested in determining whether a threshold of four, five, or six ADHD symptoms would be associated with significantly different levels of functional impairment and be more or less indicative of a potential ADHD diagnosis. Method: We examined the relation between functional impairment and these ADHD symptom thresholds in 2,577 college students. Results: Our findings suggest that none of these symptom thresholds are differentially better at predicting functional impairment. Conclusion: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) threshold of five symptoms for ages 17 years and older is not necessarily predictive of ADHD-related impairment in college students and may not be preferable to other thresholds. Options for resolving this diagnostic dilemma are discussed.

AB - Objective: Approximately 5% of adults have ADHD. Despite recommendations regarding the diagnosis of emerging adults, there is not a strong consensus regarding the ideal method for diagnosing ADHD in both emerging and mature adults. We were interested in determining whether a threshold of four, five, or six ADHD symptoms would be associated with significantly different levels of functional impairment and be more or less indicative of a potential ADHD diagnosis. Method: We examined the relation between functional impairment and these ADHD symptom thresholds in 2,577 college students. Results: Our findings suggest that none of these symptom thresholds are differentially better at predicting functional impairment. Conclusion: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) threshold of five symptoms for ages 17 years and older is not necessarily predictive of ADHD-related impairment in college students and may not be preferable to other thresholds. Options for resolving this diagnostic dilemma are discussed.

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DSM-5 and Other Symptom Thresholds for ADHD: Which Is the Best Predictor of Impairment in College Students?

Abstract

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