Date of Award
2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Specialization
Clinical Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Lisa Weyandt
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the factor structure of three commonly used assessment methods, the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), among a sample of college students with and without ADHD with the goal of identifying a potential common inattention factor among the three measures. Additionally, the influences of race and sex on the factor structure was assessed. Participants were recruited from nine different universities in the eastern United States study (N = 456, nADHD =228). Each measure was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with comparison across ADHD diagnosis status, race, and sex. The results revealed an inattention factor on the BDI-II and a panic factor on the BAI among college students with ADHD that did not emerge in the comparison group. Differences were also evident in the structure of the BAI, BDI-II, and ADHD-RS across race and sex. Despite the differences identified across psychiatric comorbidity and demographic variables, each measure was found to be generally reflective of its underlying construct. Results of the current study suggest that screening measures for anxiety and depression may be impacted by psychiatric comorbidity and demographic variables, potentially confounding their interpretability across intersectional identity.
Recommended Citation
Shepard, Emily, "STUDY OF THE FACTOR STRUCTURE OF COMMONLY USED MEASURES OF ADHD, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS" (2023). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 1653.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/1653