Frequency of distress symptoms in the population of medical students and their relationship with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Introduction: Studies have indicated that symptoms of distress are more prevalent in students than in the general population, and even more prevalent among students with pronounced symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, with cumulat...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Belgrade, Medical Faculty
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Medicinski Podmladak |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0369-1527/2024/0369-15272404061J.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Introduction: Studies have indicated that symptoms of distress are more prevalent in students than in the general population, and even more prevalent among students with pronounced symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, with cumulative evidence of its presence in adults as well. Based on the literature knowledge, similar studies haven't been conducted on the student population in the Republic of Serbia thus far. Aim: The aims of this study are to examine the connection between distress symptoms and the presence of ADHD symptoms in the studied population of students, and to examine the characteristics of the most pronounced distress symptoms in the group of ADHD-screening positive students. Material and methods: The study was conducted on 404 students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, with an average age of 21.8 ± 1.9 years, of which 78.7% were female. The assessment included the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1), Patient Health Questionnare-9 (PHQ-9), General Anxiety Disorder-6 (GAD-6) and Patient Health Questionnare-4 (PHQ-4) self-report scales and a questionnaire for socio-demographic, psychotropic drug use, and heredity of ADHD. Results: All ADHD-screening positive students had significantly more pronounced symptoms of distress compared to other students (p < 0.001). All symptoms, except suicidal tendencies , are more pronounced in the group of screening-positive students (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed in the use of psychotropic drugs or heredity between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A high frequency of distress symptoms was shown in our sample of students. The ADHD-screening positive group of students had more pronounced distress symptoms, and the most pronounced symptom was the feeling of fatigue and lack of energy. Recognising the symptoms of ADHD in the youth population can be significant in terms of preventing symptoms of distress, primarily affecting the will and mood, which can positively affect the functionality of these persons. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0369-1527 2466-5525 |