An Observational Study of the Morning and Evening Behavior of Individuals With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

As individuals with ADHD move to young adulthood, the morning and evening times become of increased importance. Sixty individuals were enrolled in a 14-day study (30 with ADHD and 30 did not have ADHD). Participants provided self-reports of ADHD symptoms and impairment using ecological momentary assessments administered each morning and each evening. Participants also identified a collateral who could provide daily ratings of the participant during the same time. Driving data were also passively collected. Results indicated differences in self and collateral ratings of ADHD symptoms and impairment, with greater symptom endorsement and reports of impairment for the individuals with ADHD. Self-report indicated greater endorsement in the evening, relative to the morning, for individuals with ADHD. Collateral report did not interact with time of day. Passive evaluation of driving performance was not significantly different. Results indicate young adult ADHD symptoms and impairment can be reliably assessed in the morning/evening. Public Health Significance Evidence of ADHD symptoms and impairments were documented in the morning and evening hours for individuals diagnosed with ADHD. These results illustrate additional areas in need of attention in the refinement of treatments for adults with ADHD.

What Apps Do Postsecondary Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Actually Find Helpful for Doing Schoolwork? An Empirical Study

“…Indeed, most scientific studies on ADHD and smartphones deal with problematic uses such as "smartphone addiction" (Kwon, Kim, & Kwak, 2022) and a variety of problem behaviors (Panagiotidi & Overton, 2022). In addition, articles report on tracking aspects of problematic driving behavior (Fabiano et al, 2021) or exploring the advantages of "ambulatory assessment using smartphones" (Koch et al, 2021). Other areas deal with ADHD treatment or symptom assessment (Păsărelu, et al, 2020), with problematic cell phone use when the student is in flow (Pearson, et al, 2021), with cognitive behavioral interventions to improve symptoms (e.g., Solanto & Scheres, 2021), or with chatbots for mental health (Jang et al, 2021).…”