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ADHD Characteristics as Predictors of Adult Attachment Types Debbie J. Pope & Jenna L. Edwards Contact: Dr Debbie Pope, Email: debbie.pope@edgehill.ac.uk Background Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may show impaired quality of attachment and increased fear and avoidance in romantic relationships (Abdel-Hamid et al., 2011). In children, ADHD is consistent with insecure attachments. However it is unknown whether these children continue to experience dysfunctional attachment into adulthood (Clarke et al., 2002). An excess of ADHD-related behaviours (inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity) will not elicit warmth, care and proximity, therefore possible that elevated ADHD symptomatology may have a profound effect on attachment type (Comer & Gold, 2012). Participants 105 male (N=30) and female (N=75 undergraduate students, aged 18-46 years (M=21, SD=4.87) Materials Two self-report questionnaires: Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) (Conners, Erhardt & Sparrow, 2004) - 30 statements - rate frequency of behaviours (e.g. ‘I am always on the go’ from ‘not at all’ to ‘very much’) from ‘not at all’ to ‘very much’ - 10 minutes to complete Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994) - indirect measure of Bartholomew and Horowitz’ (1991) four attachment prototypes (see below) - 30 phrases - rate statements by the extent to which each statement best describes their characteristic style in close relationships by ‘not at all like me’ to ‘very much like me’ - 10 minutes to complete Main Findings Males score higher than females on both inattention and hyperactivity Controlling for gender, inattention level predicts level of Secure attachment (higher inattention rating associated with lower Secure attachment rating) Controlling for gender, inattention level predicts level of Fearful attachment (higher inattention rating associated with higher Fearful attachment rating) Inattention scores do not predict rating of Preoccupied or Dismissing Attachment types Hyperactivity scores do not predict ratings of Adult Attachment Type (Secure, Fearful, Dismissing or Preoccupied) Inattention, rather than hyperactivity, in children may be more likely to predict poorer outcomes for future adult relationships Implications for social and emotional interventions and support Hyperactivity Inattention Hyperactivity Inattention Hyperactivity Inattention Hyperactivity Preoccupied β = -.35* Dismissing Secure Fearful β =.05 Adult Attachment TypeADHD Characteristic β =.35* β =.08 β =.22 β = -.06 β =.16 β <.01 Figure 2. ADHD Characteristics as Predictors of Adult Attachment Types after controlling for gender (hierarchical multiple regression) Figure 1. Bartholomew’s four-category model of adult attachment Aim of Study To establish whether self-report measures of inattention and hyperactivity present in adult participants can predict adult attachment types. Attribute1234567 1.Gender--27**-.30**-.14-.15-.03-.08 2. CAARS: Inattention--.76**-.23*.22*.18.19 3. CAARS: Hyperactivity--- -.12.14.20*.13 4. RSQ: Secure----.63**.44**.35** 5. RSQ: Fearful-----.37**.53** 6. RSQ: Preoccupied------.09 7. RSQ: Dismissing------- Figure 3. Intercorrelation Matrix of Gender, ADHD and Adult Attachment Measures (N=105)
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