Emotional Tension in Stressful Situations as a Mediator of the Comorbidity of Conduct Disorder in Youth with Adhd

Justyna Marcinkowska , Małgorzata Lipowska , Zofia Szczuka

Abstract

Research has shown that ADHD often co-occurs with ODD and CD, especially the impulsive subtype of ADHD. Excessive impulsiveness involves not only disordered inhibition, but also difficulties with emotional control. Situations with increased emotional tension provoke behaviors intended to reduce the tension, such as aggressiveness, which can be interpreted as CD. Our research was intended to examine the specific characteristics of how youth with ADHD react to stressful situations and their emotional consequences. We examined 31 subjects, 16 to 19 years of age, diagnosed with full ADHD, using self-report questionnaires: the EAS-D and the Stress Questionnaire. This data was supplemented with the results of the Structured Diagnostic Interview for ADHD according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV-TR, which was filled out by parents or teachers. Our subjects showed an increased level of discontent, understood as a dimension of emotionality, along with a reduced level of fear. The level of discontent significantly affects emotional tension, while impulsiveness, a diagnostic criterion for ADHD, has no direct effect on the level of emotional tension in stressful situations. Youth with ADHD experience a high level of generalized discontent, the cause of which is often difficult to determine. The declared mental discomfort, given high lability, may be the cause of socially undesirable behavior. A combination of factors mediates the comorbidity of behaviors from the ODD/CD spectrum in youth with ADHD.