PERSONALITY-DIFFERENCES RELATED TO SMOKING AND ADULT ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) scores are compared for three groups of adults: (a) current smokers with Attention Deficit Hy peractivity Disorder (ADHDSmk, n = 14); (b) current smokers without AD HD (NonADHDSmk, n = 21); and (c) ADHD never smokers (ADHDNevSmk, n = 1 7). The ADHDSmk participants started smoking at a significantly younge r age than NonADHDSmk participants. On the TPQ Novelty Seeking (NS) sc ale, all groups scored more than a standard deviation above the norm, and ADHDSmk participants scored significantly higher than NonADHDSmk p articipants. The earlier onset of smoking in ADHD adults suggests that smoking prevention efforts may be particularly important for ADHD chi ldren. Previous studies have reported that both smokers and ADHD patie nts have elevated NS scores; this study suggests an additive effect fo r smokers with ADHD. This exaggerated tendency towards thrill seeking in ADHDSmk participants may complicate smoking-cessation treatment in this population, because the health consequences of smoking may be of less concern to ADHD smokers.