The Prevalence of Subclinical ADHD and Its Associations with Negative Affect Among Medical Students—A Cross-Sectional Study and an Exploratory Neurofeedback Pilot Study
Cross-sectional and pilot studies assess subclinical ADHD prevalence and its links to negative emotions in medical students, indicating a need for extended interventions.
Key Points
The aim is to explore the prevalence of subclinical ADHD among medical students and its relationship with negative emotions and mental health conditions.
Assessed prevalence of subclinical ADHD in 233 medical students using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS).
Examined associations between ADHD symptoms and depression, anxiety, and stress using the DASS-21.
Conducted a pilot study with 16 students comparing emotional states before and after neurofeedback relaxation training.
Over 50% of medical students were at risk for subclinical ADHD symptoms.
A strong association was found between ADHD symptoms and negative affect such as anxiety and frustration.
No significant differences in ADHD and DASS scores were noted between students who were falling behind and those progressing.
An increase in mind wandering was observed after neurofeedback training among participants with higher ASRS scores.