The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2013 , Vol 55 , Num 2
Identity Status and Attachment in Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, 3Ankara Children’s Hematology
Oncology Training and Research Hospital, and 4Dr. Sami Ulus Children’s Hospital, and 2Adolescent Unit, Department of
Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: fusunc@hacettepe.edu.tr
Identity and attachment are two concepts of different theories that might
be related and that are developmentally very important in adolescence. The
aim of this study was to explore the sense of identity, attachment styles and
their relation in a group of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). Thirty-four adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD
in childhood were reevaluated at the age of 13-16 years. The comparison
group consisted of age- and gender-matched adolescents without a psychiatric
disorder. The Sense of Identity Assessment Form (SIAF) and the Relationship
Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) were used to examine the sense of identity
and attachment styles of adolescents, respectively. Compared to adolescents
without a psychiatric disorder, adolescents with ADHD, independent of the
presence of a comorbid psychiatric disorder, had a similar identity formation
process; however, adolescents with ADHD and a comorbid psychiatric disorder
experienced more preoccupied attachment styles. Comorbid psychiatric disorders
seem to be related to the insecure attachment patterns in adolescents with
ADHD.
Keywords :
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, identity, attachment, adolescence.