There is a clinical need for measurement of noncredible self-reporting of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults presenting for ADHD evaluation. The present study describes the development of initial validity data for an Infrequency Index for the Conner’s Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Rating Scale (CII). Items for the CII were obtained from a large sample of nontreatment seeking university students, including individuals with a self-reported history of ADHD diagnosis. Items endorsed infrequently in the sample, including those with ADHD diagnoses, were identified and summed to create the CII. Initial validation data were gathered from a sample of individuals seeking clinical evaluation for ADHD. The CII was strongly related to noncredibly high symptom report and was also related to noncredible performance on cognitive measures. Results provide initial support for the CII’s use in assessing noncredible overreporting on the Conner’s Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Rating Scale.
Alfano, K., & Boone, B.K. ( 2007). The use of effort tests in the context of actual versus feigned attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disability. In K. B. Boone (Ed.), Assessment of feigned cognitive impairment: A neuropsychological perspective (pp. 366-383). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author .
3.
Bauer, L., O’Bryant, S.E., Lynch, J.K., McCaffrey, R.J., & Fisher, J.M. ( 2007). Examining the Test of Memory Malingering Trial 1 and Word Memory Test Immediate Recognition as screening tools for insufficient effort. Assessment, 14, 215-222. doi:10.1177/1073191106297617
Ben-Porath, Y.S., & Tellegen, A. ( 2008). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form: Manual for administration, scoring, and interpretation. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
6.
Butcher, J.N., Graham, J.R., Ben-Porath, Y.S., Tellegen, A., Dahlstrom, W.G., & Kaemmer, B. ( 2001). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2: Manual for administration and scoring (rev. ed.). Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press.
7.
Conners, C.K., Erhardt, D., & Sparrow, E.P. ( 1998). Conners Adult Attention Rating Scale-Self-Report: Long Version. North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems.
8.
Conti, R. ( 2004). Malingered ADHD in adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder: A brief note. Psychological Reports, 94, 987-988. doi:10.2466/PR0.94.3.987-988
9.
DuPaul, G.J., Schaughency, E.A., Weyandt, L.L., Tripp, G., Kiesner, J., Ota, K., & Stanish, H. ( 2001). Self-report of ADHD symptoms in university students: Cross-gender and cross-national prevalence. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34, 370-379. doi:10.1177/002221940103400412
10.
Erhardt, D., Epstein, J.N., Conners, C.K., Parker, J.D.A., & Sitarenios, G. (1999). Self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in adults II: Reliability, validity, and diagnostic sensitivity. Journal of Attention Disorders, 3, 153-158. doi:10.1177/108705479900300304
11.
Green, P. ( 2005). Green’s Word Memory Test for Windows: User’s manual. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Author.
12.
Harrison, A.G. ( 2004). An investigation of reported symptoms of ADHD in a university population. The ADHD Report, 12(6), 8-11. doi:10.1521/adhd.12.6.8.55256
13.
Harrison, A.G., Edwards, M.J., & Parker, K.C.H. (2007). Identifying students faking ADHD: Preliminary findings and strategies for detection. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 22, 577-588. doi:10.1016/j. acn.2007.03.008
14.
Heiligenstein, E., Conyers, L.M., Berns, A.R., Miller, M.A., & Smith, M.A. ( 1998). Preliminary normative data on DSM-IV attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in college students. Journal of American College Health, 46, 185-188. doi:10.1080/07448489809595609
15.
Jachimowicz, G., & Geiselman, R.E. (2004). Comparison of ease of falsification of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis using standard behavioral rating scales, Cognitive Science Online, 2, 6-20.
16.
Lee Booksh, R., Pella, R.D., Singh, A.N., & Gouvier, W.D. ( 2010). Ability of college students to simulate ADHD on objective measures of attention. Journal of Attention Disorders, 13, 325-338. doi:10.1177/1087054708329927
17.
Mannuzza, S., Klein, R.G., Klein, D.F., Bessler, A., & Shrout, P. ( 2002). Accuracy of adult recall of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 1882-1888. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.159.11.1882
18.
McCann, B.S., & Roy-Byrne, P. ( 2004). Screening and diagnostic utility of self-report attention deficit hyperactivity disorder scales in adults. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 45, 175-183. doi:10.1016/j. comppsych.2004.02.006
19.
Morey, L.C. ( 2007). The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI): Professional manual (2nd ed.). Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
20.
Murphy, K. ( 1994). Guarding against overdiagnosis of ADHD in adults. The ADHD Report, 2(6), 3-4.
Murphy, K., Gordon, M., & Barkley, R. ( 2000). To what extent are ADHD symptoms common? A reanalysis of standardization data from a DSM-IV checklist. The ADHD Report, 8(3), 1-5.
23.
Quinn, C. ( 2003). Detection of malingering in assessment of adult ADHD . Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 18, 379-395.
24.
Roy-Byrne, P., Sheele, L., Brinkley, J., Ward, N., Wiatrak, C., Russo, J., et al. (1997). Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Assessment guidelines based on clinical presentation to a specialty clinic . Comprehensive Psychiatry, 38, 133-140. doi:10.1016/S0010-440X(97)90065-1
25.
Suhr, J., Hammers, D., Dobbins-Buckland, K., Zimak, E., & Hughes, C. ( 2008). The relationship of malingering test failure to self-reported symptoms and neuropsychological findings in adults referred for ADHD evaluation . Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 23, 521-530. doi:10.1016/j.acn.2008.05.003
26.
Suhr, J., Zimak, E., Buelow, M., & Fox, L. ( 2009). Self reported childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity symptoms are not specific to the disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry , 50, 269-275. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych. 2008.08.008
27.
Sullivan, B.K., May, K., & Galbally, L. ( 2007). Symptom exaggeration by college adults in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disorder assessments, Applied Neuropsychology, 14, 189-207.
28.
Tan, J.E., Slick, D.J., Strauss, E., & Hultsch, D.F. ( 2002). How’d they do it? Malingering strategies on symptom validity tests. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 16, 495-505.
29.
Weyandt, L., Linterman, I., & Rice, J. ( 1995). Reported prevalence of attentional difficulties in a general sample of college-students. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 17, 293-304. doi:10.1007/BF02229304
