Questioning the specificity of ASRS-v1.1 to accurately detect ADHD in substance abusing populations
Jean-Pierre Chiasson1, Katherine Stavro, Élie Rizkallah
1Clinique Nouveau-Départ, Montréal, Canada.
Journal of Attention Disorders
|November 4, 2011
Abstract
Objective:
To assess the specificity of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) in detecting ADHD among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs).
Method:
A chart review of 183 SUD patients was conducted. Patients were screened for ADHD with the ASRS-v1.1 and were later assessed by a psychiatrist specialized in ADHD.
Results:
Among SUD patients scoring positive results on the ASRS-v1.1 for the presence of ADHD, the ADHD diagnosis could only be confirmed in 26% of the sample by an expert psychiatrist.
Conclusion:
The ASRS-v1.1 reports low specificity in detecting ADHD among SUD populations.


