Association between sleep problems and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults

To examine the association between sleep-related problems and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a community sample of young adults in Taiwan.

A college-based cross-sectional survey.

Two thousand two hundred eighty-four first-year college students (aged 18-20) in a university in Taiwan.

Each student completed a questionnaire regarding sleep schedule (self-estimated total sleep duration and sleep need), sleep problems (dyssomnia, parasomnia, and snoring), and the Chinese version of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. Subjects were grouped separately for the inattention and hyperactivity subscales into highly likely ADHD (2.3%, 0.7%), probable ADHD (21.3%, 5.7%), and probably non-ADHD (76.4%, 93.6%) groups according to the scoring scheme of the subscales of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. Results showed that, for both inattention and hyperactivity symptoms, the highly likely ADHD and probable ADHD groups were more likely than the non-ADHD group to have a variety of current and lifetime sleep problems. No significant difference in sleep problems was found between the highly likely ADHD and probable ADHD groups. Inattention, but not hyperactivity, was associated with greater sleep need and greater difference between sleep need and self-estimated nocturnal sleep duration. Hyperactivity, but not inattention, was associated with decreased nocturnal sleep duration.

Consistent with prior findings from children and adolescents, ADHD symptoms in young adults are related to sleep problems. Further studies on adults with ADHD should help to refine our understanding of the causal basis for any implications of this association.