Prevalence, Gender Distribution and Presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by Certain Sociodemographic Characteristics Among University Students

INTRODUCTION Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder usually diagnosed in children, with appearance of the first symptoms before the age of seven years. The disorder is characterized by inattention and/or impulsivity and hyperactivity that can seriously affect many aspects of behavior and performance at school. Specific sociodemographic characteristics seem to contribute to the appearance of ADHD. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was done on a sample of 500 university students. For the measurement of ADHD symptoms, the ADHD Adult Self-report Scale was used and a specifically designed questionnaire for collecting sociodemographic data. RESULTS The results of this screening study showed that in 184 (48.7%) respondents the symptoms of the disorder in the activity and attention were registered. ADHD is highly significant associated with gender (p = 0.0004). Men more often than women have this kind of disorder. Our results also showed that living and material conditions were not associated with a higher prevalence of ADHD.