21. Personality traits in ADHD
Of the Big 5 personality traits according to the Five-Factor-Model (1), changes are found in particular in neuroticism (significantly increased), conscientiousness (significantly decreased), agreeableness (decreased) and extraversion (decreased) in relation to ADHD.
In addition to the Big 5 Five-Factor Model, there are other assessment instruments that measure personality traits, some of which correlate with those of the Big 5. Where this is the case, we have listed the correlating traits under the respective Big 5 trait and marked them with the following numbers for the assessment instrument in question. In addition, we have listed changes in these traits in ADHD. The results are largely congruent.
(1) Five-Factor Model
(2) Integrated Five-Factor Model
(3) DAPP-BQ
(4) Cloninger TCI
(5) ICD-11
(6) AMPD
- 21.1. Neuroticism (Emotional Reactivity)
- 21.2. Conscientiousness
- 21.3. Extraversion (approach tendencies)
- 21.4. Compatibility
- 21.5. Openness to experience
21.1. Neuroticism (Emotional Reactivity)
Neuroticism (Emotional Reactivity)1
- Significantly increased in ADHD23 , also in adolescents with ADHD((Krieger, Amador-Campos, Guàrdia-Olmos (2020): Executive functions, Personality traits and ADHD symptoms in adolescents: A mediation analysis. PLoS One. 2020 May 6;15(5):e0232470. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232470. PMID: 32374779; PMCID: PMC7202790. n = 118)
- Especially in case of inattention4
- Neuroticism correlates with personality traits on other assessment instruments
21.2. Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness (top-down control process)1
- Strongly decreased in ADHD2, also in adolescents with ADHD((Krieger, Amador-Campos, Guàrdia-Olmos (2020): Executive functions, Personality traits and ADHD symptoms in adolescents: A mediation analysis. PLoS One. 2020 May 6;15(5):e0232470. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232470. PMID: 32374779; PMCID: PMC7202790. n = 118)
- Conscientiousness is referred to as (intrinsically motivated) functional perfectionism, whereas perfectionism refers to (extrinsically motivated) dysfunctional perfectionism, which is highly correlated with neuroticism.
-
Conscientiousness correlates with personality traits on other assessment instruments
- High Consentious Inhibition (2)
- High compulsivity (3, 5)
- High persistence (endurance, perseverance) (4)
- Low disinhibition (disinhibition) (6)
- Low Novelty seeking (4)
- Conscientiousness correlates with executive functions, so lower conscientiousness is associated with lower EFs6
21.3. Extraversion (approach tendencies)
-
Extraversion (approach tendencies)1
- Reduced with ADHD2
- Extraversion correlates with personality traits of other assessment instruments
21.4. Compatibility
Compatibility (Agreeableness; Bottom-Up Control Process)1
- Decreased in ADHD2, also in adolescents with ADHD((Krieger, Amador-Campos, Guàrdia-Olmos (2020): Executive functions, Personality traits and ADHD symptoms in adolescents: A mediation analysis. PLoS One. 2020 May 6;15(5):e0232470. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232470. PMID: 32374779; PMCID: PMC7202790. n = 118)
- Agreeableness correlates with personality traits of other assessment instruments
21.5. Openness to experience
Openness to experience (Openness)
- Slightly increased in ADHD2
-
Openness to experience correlates with personality traits of other assessment instruments
- High openness (2)
- High psychoticism (6)
- High self-transcendence (spirituality) (4)
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Jacobsson, Hopwood, Söderpalm, Nilsson (2021): Adult ADHD and emerging models of maladaptive personality: a meta-analytic review. BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 1;21(1):282. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03284-1. PMID: 34074265; PMCID: PMC8170979. METASTUDIE ↥ ↥
Krieger, Amador-Campos, Guàrdia-Olmos (2020): Executive functions, Personality traits and ADHD symptoms in adolescents: A mediation analysis. PLoS One. 2020 May 6;15(5):e0232470. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232470. PMID: 32374779; PMCID: PMC7202790. n = 118 ↥