TY - JOUR
T1 - Coping with emotional dysregulation among young adults with ADHD
T2 - A mixed-method study of self-awareness and strategies in daily life
AU - Ben-Dor Cohen, Maayan
AU - Nahum, Mor
AU - Traub Bar-Ilan, Ruthie
AU - Eldar, Eran
AU - Maeir, Adina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Background: Emotional dysregulation (ED) impacts functional outcomes among individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Self-awareness and strategies may enhance coping with ED yet are rarely studied in ADHD. Objectives: To explore ED-related self-awareness and strategies in daily life of adults with ADHD, and to examine the interrelations between them and their association with symptoms. Methods: Sixty young adults with ADHD participated in a mixed-method study. At baseline, self-awareness and strategies were assessed using the Self-Regulation Skills Interview (SRSI); ADHD symptoms were self-rated using the ASRS symptom checklist. Then, symptoms were rated over 5-days using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Results: Significant challenges in self-awareness and strategies were demonstrated quantitatively and qualitatively. Awareness of ED was associated with variability of ADHD symptoms on EMA yet not with symptom severity. Qualitative content analysis revealed a range of self-awareness levels, which were related to noticing ED-related cues and understanding contextual factors predictive of ED. Self-awareness and strategies were significantly associated. Strategies varied regarding effort, individual preference and temporality. Conclusions: Variability of ADHD symptoms was negatively associated with self-awareness of ED. Strategy selection in daily-life among adults with ADHD may be affected by self-awareness and by a possible trade-off between short-term effort and long-term effectiveness.
AB - Background: Emotional dysregulation (ED) impacts functional outcomes among individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Self-awareness and strategies may enhance coping with ED yet are rarely studied in ADHD. Objectives: To explore ED-related self-awareness and strategies in daily life of adults with ADHD, and to examine the interrelations between them and their association with symptoms. Methods: Sixty young adults with ADHD participated in a mixed-method study. At baseline, self-awareness and strategies were assessed using the Self-Regulation Skills Interview (SRSI); ADHD symptoms were self-rated using the ASRS symptom checklist. Then, symptoms were rated over 5-days using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Results: Significant challenges in self-awareness and strategies were demonstrated quantitatively and qualitatively. Awareness of ED was associated with variability of ADHD symptoms on EMA yet not with symptom severity. Qualitative content analysis revealed a range of self-awareness levels, which were related to noticing ED-related cues and understanding contextual factors predictive of ED. Self-awareness and strategies were significantly associated. Strategies varied regarding effort, individual preference and temporality. Conclusions: Variability of ADHD symptoms was negatively associated with self-awareness of ED. Strategy selection in daily-life among adults with ADHD may be affected by self-awareness and by a possible trade-off between short-term effort and long-term effectiveness.
KW - ADHD
KW - Emotional dysregulation
KW - ecological momentary assessment
KW - self-awareness
KW - strategies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176955945&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09602011.2023.2279181
DO - 10.1080/09602011.2023.2279181
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
C2 - 37971947
AN - SCOPUS:85176955945
SN - 0960-2011
VL - 34
SP - 1161
EP - 1185
JO - Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
JF - Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
IS - 8
ER -