Adult ADHD and the Relationship Between Self-Reported Frequency of Cognitive Distortions, Anxiety, and Depression

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with ADHD often includes strategies to address cognitive distortions. Although identifying cognitive distortions as part of a causal chain related to disorders such as anxiety and depression has been well studied, limited research has focused on the relationship between ADHD and cognitive distortions. The goal of this study was to determine the nature of the relationship between ADHD, cognitive distortions, anxiety, and depression within a group of adult outpatients from an ADHD treatment center (N = 30). Results indicated that the severity of ADHD symptomatology, identified through a self-report scale, was significantly related to the self-reported frequency of cognitive distortions. The direct positive relationship between ADHD severity and frequency of cognitive distortions (a) existed independently of comorbid anxiety and/or depression and (b) remained significant when the relationship was explored with a portion of the sample that completed additional ADHD self-report scales for primary inattentive symptoms (n = 27). This is one of few studies to explore the nature of the relationship between adult ADHD and cognitive distortions. Furthermore, this study provides empirical support for the inclusion of cognitive-behavioral techniques that consider cognitive distortions in this population