Establishing US norms for the Adult ADHD Self‐Report Scale (ASRS‐v1.1) and characterising symptom burden among adults with self‐reported ADHD

AIMS: To estimate Adult ADHD Self‐Report Scale (ASRS‐v1.1) Symptom Checklist normative total scores among the US adult general population and to evaluate overall attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom burden among US adults with ADHD. METHODS: Prior 2012 and 2013 US National Health and Wellness Survey respondents were re‐contacted. Demographics, comorbidities, and ASRS‐v1.1 data were collected. ASRS‐v1.1 scores were compared by sex, age, ADHD diagnosis, and ADHD medication use. Group differences were evaluated using chi‐square tests and independent samples t‐tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: Of 22 397 respondents, 465 self‐reported being diagnosed with ADHD by a physician; of these, 174 self‐reported using ADHD medication. The mean ASRS‐v1.1 total score was 2.0 (SD = 3.2); scores differed by age and sex (all, P < 0.001). ADHD (vs no ADHD) was associated with depression (58.1% vs 18.0%), anxiety (53.1% vs 16.0%), and sleep difficulties (37.0% vs 14.0%) (all, P < 0.001). ADHD medication use (vs no use) was associated with depression (68.4% vs 51.9%), anxiety (67.2% vs 44.7%), panic disorder (25.9% vs 17.2%), and insomnia (27.6% vs 19.6%) (all, P < 0.05). ADHD (vs no ADHD) respondents scored higher on all 18 ASRS‐v1.1 items (all, P < 0.05). Medication users (vs non‐users) scored higher on six items (all, P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Adult ADHD may be undertreated or sub‐optimally treated, despite a high symptom burden. Normative data will allow comparisons with individuals’ scores to support the assessment of ADHD symptom burden among adults. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of assessing ADHD symptom burden, especially among adults presenting with comorbidities.