ADHD and Psychopathy in Adolescent Asian-Americans: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract BackgroundThe positive association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the development of psychopathic traits in White-American juveniles has long been demonstrated in various studies. Less is known, however, about the role of specific attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology and how they interact with each dimension of the three-factor model of psychopathy in Asian juveniles. ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between Asian-American juveniles with ADHD as evaluated by the ADHD Rating Scale-5: For Children and Adolescents (ADHD-RS-IV), and the exhibition of psychopathic traits as measured by the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al. 2002). Previous studies have examined the prevalence of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in White-American prison inmates and in forensic patients with psychopathic traits. However, it is not clear whether ADHD and psychopathy scores also correlate in Asian, teenage non-incarcerated samples. MeasuresThis is a quantitative survey investigating the relationship between 1000 Asian teenagers exhibiting characteristics of ADHD as evaluated by the ADHD Rating Scale-5: For Children and Adolescents (ADHD-RS-IV) and the exhibition of psychopathic traits as measured by the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al. 2002). LimitationsThe sample size is relatively small and the results should be appropriately considered as an indication rather than a generalization. ConclusionsPearson’s matrix showed a positive and significant correlation coefficient (0.91) for ADHD subscores and dimensions of psychopathy. In our Asian-American sample, males (49%) scored on average 5.1 points higher than females in the ADHD scale, and on average 8.5 points higher in the YPI scale. Interestingly, in the female population, a higher correlation was found between the hyperactivity (HI) subscore and the callous-unemotional (CU) subscore while in the male population, a significant correlation was found between the HI subscore and grandiose-manipulative (GM) subscore.