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Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mitchell, JT; Benson, JW; Knouse, LE; Kimbrel, NA; Anastopoulos, AD
Published in: Cognitive Therapy and Research
August 1, 2013

Recent randomized controlled trials indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an efficacious treatment. Although treatments for adults with ADHD target negative automatic thoughts, there is a lack of empirical evidence demonstrating that such cognitions are associated with ADHD. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between ADHD and negative automatic thoughts typically associated with depression in a group of adults diagnosed with ADHD (n = 81). Across the sample, self, collateral, and clinician ratings of inattentive ADHD symptom severity, but not hyperactive-impulsive symptom severity, were significantly associated with negative automatic thoughts after considering the role of current depressive symptom severity. Subsequent categorical analyses were conducted by subdividing the ADHD sample into those with (n = 34) and without (n = 47) a comorbid depression diagnosis, and adding a control group (n = 43). Analyses indicated that (a) the ADHD group with comorbid depression reported significantly more negative automatic thoughts than both controls and the ADHD group without comorbid depression, and (b) the ADHD group without comorbid depression reported significantly more negative automatic thoughts than controls. These findings provide an empirical basis for adult ADHD CBT to target negative automatic thoughts, which share a relationship with ADHD even after accounting for the confounding role of depression. Modification of negative automatic thoughts may be a mechanism of change in adult ADHD CBT and should be considered in future research. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

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Published In

Cognitive Therapy and Research

DOI

EISSN

1573-2819

ISSN

0147-5916

Publication Date

August 1, 2013

Volume

37

Issue

4

Start / End Page

851 / 859

Related Subject Headings

  • Clinical Psychology
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Mitchell, J. T., Benson, J. W., Knouse, L. E., Kimbrel, N. A., & Anastopoulos, A. D. (2013). Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37(4), 851–859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9525-4
Mitchell, J. T., J. W. Benson, L. E. Knouse, N. A. Kimbrel, and A. D. Anastopoulos. “Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood?Cognitive Therapy and Research 37, no. 4 (August 1, 2013): 851–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9525-4.
Mitchell JT, Benson JW, Knouse LE, Kimbrel NA, Anastopoulos AD. Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood? Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2013 Aug 1;37(4):851–9.
Mitchell, J. T., et al. “Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood?Cognitive Therapy and Research, vol. 37, no. 4, Aug. 2013, pp. 851–59. Scopus, doi:10.1007/s10608-013-9525-4.
Mitchell JT, Benson JW, Knouse LE, Kimbrel NA, Anastopoulos AD. Are negative automatic thoughts associated with adhd in adulthood? Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2013 Aug 1;37(4):851–859.
Journal cover image

Published In

Cognitive Therapy and Research

DOI

EISSN

1573-2819

ISSN

0147-5916

Publication Date

August 1, 2013

Volume

37

Issue

4

Start / End Page

851 / 859

Related Subject Headings

  • Clinical Psychology
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology