[Poster on] Are traits of ADHD associated with self-reported social cognition in an adult community sample?

Introduction: Studies in children with ADHD suggest impairments in social cognitive functions, whereas studies in adults with ADHD are lacking. Objectives: The first aim was to investigate the relationship between self-reported social cognition and ADHD traits in a normal population (dimensional approach). The second aim was to investigate whether participants with a screening diagnosis (DSM-5 criteria) differ from matched controls in their reports of social cognition (categorical approach). Methods: A community sample of 685 respondents was surveyed online, including the ADHD Rating Scale (ARS). The Empathy Quotient (EQ) with the subscales Cognitive Empathy (CE), Emotional Empathy (EE), and Social Skills (SS), and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ) were included for measuring social cognition. In the dimensional approach, multiple regression was used to investigate whether social cognition measures predicted ADHD traits. In the categorical approach participants with an ARS screening diagnosis of ADHD (n = 109) were compared to matched controls on the social cognition scores. Results: Dimensional approach: Subscales SS and EE significantly predicted ADHD traits (8.5% explained variance). In males, only SS predicted ADHD traits, whereas in females both variables contributed to the model. Categorical approach: With small effect sizes, the female ADHD group had reduced EQ scores, enlarged SQ scores, and a more male brain type than their matched controls. No differences were found for males. Discussion: Both the dimensional and categorical approach revealed a small but significant relationship between social cognition and ADHD traits in adults. This relationship depends on gender and is more prominent in females