Citation

Schmid J, Stadler G, Dirk J, Fiege C, Gawrilow C. J. Atten. Disord. 2016; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany Center for Research on Individual Developmental and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1087054716629214

PMID

26893307

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether self-reported ADHD symptoms fluctuate substantially within adolescents from day to day, and examined the underlying symptom factor structure on a within- and between-person level.

METHOD: Adolescents (N = 166) rated their ADHD symptoms over the phone on eight consecutive evenings (total ratings: n = 1,264).

RESULTS: ADHD symptoms showed substantial fluctuations within adolescents from day to day, as indicated by within-person standard deviations and intraclass correlation coefficients. Both a two-level factor model with three correlated factors (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) and a two-level bifactor model with a general ADHD symptom factor and a specific inattention factor provided acceptable to good accounts of the structure underlying daily ADHD symptom ratings on the between- and the within-person level.

CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that adolescents' ADHD symptoms fluctuate from day to day and highlights the need for intensive diagnostic processes with repeated symptom assessments and interventions that address symptom fluctuations.

Language: en