Fundamentals of Mental Health

Fundamentals of Mental Health

Comparing emotional disturbances and quality of life in couples with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder and ordinary couples

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Melika Ghahramanzadeh 1
Ali Mashhadi 2
Zohreh Sepehri Shamloo 3
Seyed Ali Kimiaee 4
1 Ph.D student of psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Professor of psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3 Associate professor of psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
4 Associate professor of counseling, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
10.22038/jfmh.2021.17935
Abstract
Introduction: Definitive diagnosis of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults is challenging because many of the symptoms of ADHD overlap with other disorders and little research has been done on ADHD couples. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare emotional disturbances (anxiety, stress and depression) and quality of life in couples with ADHD and ordinary couples.
Materials and Methods: In this causal-comparative study, out of all ADHD and normal couples in Mashhad, 87 cases were selected. Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) was used for diagnosis of ADHD along with clinical interview. The participants fulfilled Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and Marital Relationship Quality Scale (RDAS). Data were analyzed by SPSS software and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
 Results: Emotional disturbances (anxiety, stress and depression) showed a significant difference between the two groups. In other words, the levels of anxiety, depression and stress in ADHD couples were higher compared to ordinary couples (P< 0.001). But regarding the quality of the life and relationship and its components (marital agreement, marital satisfaction, marital cohesion), there was no significant difference between the two groups (P> 0.05).  
 Conclusion: This study showed that couples with ADHD suffer from emotional disturbances (anxiety, stress and depression) more than the ordinary couples.
Keywords
Adult ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
Quality of life
Stress
  1. Christiansen H, Chavanon ML, Hirsch O, Schmidt MH, Meyer C, Müller A,
    et al. Use of machine learning to classify adult ADHD and other conditions based on the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales. Sci Rep 2020; 10(1): 1-10.
  2. O’Rourke SR, Bray AC, Anastopoulos AD. Anxiety symptoms and disorders in college students with ADHD. J Atten Disord 2020; 24(12): 1764-74.
  3. Kollins SH, McClernon FJ, Fuemmeler BF. Association between smoking and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in a population-based sample of young adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62(10): 1142-7.
  4. Faraone SV, Kunwar A, Adamson J, Biederman J. Personality traits among ADHD adults: Implications of late-onset and subthreshold diagnoses. Psychol Med 2009; 39(4): 685-93.
  5. Primich C, Iennaco J. Diagnosing adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: The importance of establishing daily life contexts for symptoms and impairments. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2012; 19(4): 362-73.
  6. Goldfarb MR, Trudel G. Marital quality and depression: a review. Marriage Fam Rev 2019; 55(8): 737-63.
  7. Proulx CM, Helms HM, Buehler C. Marital quality and personal well-being: A meta-analysis. J Marriage Fam 2007; 69(3): 576-93.
  8. Choi H, Marks NF. Marital conflict, depressive symptoms, and functional impairment. J Marriage Fam 2008; 70(2): 377-90.
  9. Rohrbaugh MJ, Shoham V, Coyne JC. Effect of marital quality on eight-year survival of patients with heart failure. Am J Cardiol 2006; 98(8): 1069-72.
  10. Rajabi G, Kaveh-Farsani Z, Amanelahi A, Khojasteh-Mehr R. [Identifying the components of marital relationship: A qualitative study]. Journal of qualitative researches in health sciences 2018; 7(2): 172-87. (Persian)
  11. Wickrama KAS, Lorenz FO, Wallace LE, Peiris L, Conger RD, Elder GH. Family influence on physical health during the middle years: The case of onset of hypertension. J Marriage Fam 2001; 63(2): 527-39.
  12. Whisman MA. Marital Distress and DSM-IV Psychiatric Disorders in a Population-Based National Survey. J Abnorm Psychol 2007; 116(3): 638-43.
  13. Brown BJ, Robinson D, Jensen JF, Seedall RB, Hodgson J, Norton MC. Will improving my marriage improve my sleep? J Couple Relat Ther 2019; 18(2): 85-103.
  14. Bodalski EA, Knouse LE, Kovalev D. Adult ADHD, emotion dysregulation, and functional outcomes: Examining the role of emotion regulation strategies. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 2019; 41(1): 81-92.
  15. Ben-Naim S, Marom I, Krashin M, Gifter B, Arad K. Life With a Partner with ADHD: The moderating role of intimacy. J Child Fam Stud 2017; 26(5): 1365-73.
  16. Bruner MR, Kuryluk AD, Whitton SW. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom levels and romantic relationship quality in college students. J Am Coll Heal 2015; 63(2): 98-108.
  17. Williamson D, Johnston C. Marital and coparenting relationships: Associations with parent and child symptoms of ADHD. J Atten Disord 2016; 20(8): 684–94.
  18. Wymbs BT, Wymbs FA, Dawson AE. Child ADHD and ODD behavior interacts with parent ADHD symptoms to worsen parenting and interparental communication. J Abnorm Child Psychol 2015; 43(1): 107-19.
  19. Moyá J, Stringaris AK, Asherson P, Sandberg S, Taylor E. The impact of persisting hyperactivity on social relationships: A community-based, controlled 20-year follow-up study. J Atten Disord 2014; 18(1): 52-60.
  20. Faigel HC. Attention deficit disorder in college students: Facts, fallacies, and treatment. J Am Coll Health Assoc 1995; 43(4): 147-55.
  21. Sheibak F, Rasoolzadeh Tabatabaei K, Mashhadi A. [Executive functions, lifestyle and mental satisfaction of couples suffering or not suffering from attention deficit disorder]. Scientific journal of clinical psychology and personality 2017; 14(2): 21-30. (Persian)
  22. Parvaresh N, Ziaadini H, Erfani R, Shokoohi M. [Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its relation with depression]. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences 2014; 16(1): 94-9. (Persian)
  23. Almeida Montes LG, Hernndez Garca AO, Ricardo-Garcell J. ADHD prevalence in adult outpatients with nonpsychotic psychiatric illnesses. J Atten Disord 2007; 11(2): 150-6.
  24. Delavar A. [No Theoretical and practical foundations of research in humanities and social sciences]. 2nd ed. Tehran: Roshd; 2018. (Persian)
  25. Antony MM, Cox BJ, Enns MW, Bieling PJ, Swinson RP. Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in clinical groups and a community sample. Psychol Assess 1998; 10(2): 176-81.
  26. Samani S, Jokar B. [A study on the reliability and validity of the Short Form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)]. Journal of social sciences and humanity of Shiraz University 2007; 3: 65-76. (Persian)
  27. Ben-Ari A, Lavee Y. Dyadic characteristics of individual attributes: Attachment, neuroticism, and their relation to marital quality and closeness. Am J Orthopsychiatry 2005; 75(4): 621-31.
  28. Busby DM, Christensen C, Crane DR, Larson JH. A revision of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale for use with distressed and nondistressed couples: Construct hierarchy and multidimensional scales. J Marital Fam Ther 1995; 21(3): 289-308.
  29. Hollist CS, Miller RB. Perceptions of attachment style and marital quality in midlife marriage. Fam Relat 2005; 54(1): 46-57.
  30. Yousefi N. [Psychometric properties of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scales (RDAS)]. Research in clinical psychology and counsultance 2012; 1(2): 183-200. (Persian)
  31. D’Agati E, Curatolo P, Mazzone L. Comorbidity between ADHD and anxiety disorders across the lifespan. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2019; 23(4): 238-44.
  32. Maughan B, Rowe R, Messer J, Goodman R, Meltzer H. Conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder in a national sample: Developmental epidemiology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip 2004; 45(3): 609-21.
  33. Amons PJT, Kooij JJS, Haffmans PMJ, Hoffman TO, Hoencamp E. Seasonality of mood disorders in adults with lifetime attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). J Affect Disord 2006; 91(2-3): 251-5.
  34. Jensen CM, Steinhausen HC. Comorbid mental disorders in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in a large nationwide study. ADHD Atten Deficit Hyperact Disord 2015; 7(1): 27-38.
  35. Pallanti S, Salerno L, Pallanti S, Salerno L. The burden of adult ADHD in comorbid psychiatric and neurological disorders. USA: Springer; 2020: 167-81.
  36. Wetzel MW. Medical student participation in an adult ADHD outpatient clinic: An ideal setting for education in outpatient psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry 2009; 33(1): 80-1.
  37. Harold GT, Leve LD, Barrett D, Elam K, Neiderhiser JM, Natsuaki MN, et al. Biological and rearing mother influences on child ADHD symptoms: Revisiting the developmental interface between nature and nurture. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip 2013; 54(10): 1038-46.
  38. Lifford KJ, Harold GT, Thapar A. Parent-child hostility and child ADHD symptoms: A genetically sensitive and longitudinal analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip 2009; 50(12): 1468-76.
  39. Schoeler T, Choi SW, Dudbridge F, Baldwin J, Duncan L, Cecil CM, et al. Multi-polygenic score approach to identifying individual vulnerabilities associated with the risk of exposure to bullying. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76(7): 730-8.
  40. Chang Z, D’Onofrio BM, Quinn PD, Lichtenstein P, Larsson H. Medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and risk for depression: A nationwide longitudinal cohort study. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80(12): 916-22.
  41. Faraone SV, Larsson H. Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24(4): 562-75.
  42. Demontis D, Walters RK, Martin J, Mattheisen M, Als TD, Agerbo E, et al. Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for ADHD. Nat Genet 2020; 51(1): 63-75.
  43. Riglin L, Leppert B, Dardani C, Thapar AK, Rice F, O’donovan MC, et al. ADHD and depression: Investigating a causal explanation. Psychol Med 2021; 51(11): 1890-97.
  44. Rogers SJ, Amato PR. Have changes in gender relations affected marital quality? Soc Forces 2000; 79(2): 731-53.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 23, Issue 1
March and April 2021
Pages 41-48