Translation and validation of the Brown attention-deficit disorder scale for use in Brazil: identifying cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among samples of substance users and non-users. Cross-cultural validation study

• Published in: São Paulo medical journal Vol. 136; no. 2; pp. 157 - 164
• Main Authors: Kakubo, Simone Mayumi, Mendez, Mariel, Silveira, Juliana Doering, Maringolo, Leonardo, Nitta, Conrado, Silveira, Dartiu Xavier da, Fidalgo, Thiago Marques
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Associação Paulista de Medicina - APM 01.03.2018; Associação Paulista de Medicina
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - complications; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Brazil; Case-Control Studies; Comorbidity; Cultural Characteristics; Female; Hospitals, University; Humans; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; ROC Curve; Self Report; Sensitivity and Specificity; Substance-related disorders; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Surveys and Questionnaires; Translations; Young Adult; Brazil; Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Mental disorders; Substance-related disorders; Comorbidity; Psychiatry
• ISSN: 1516-3180; 1806-9460; 1806-9460
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180.2017.0227121217

The Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale (BADDS) was developed as a self-report assessment that was designed to screen for presence of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The objective here was to translate and validate the adult self-report BADDS for use in Brazil. Cross-cultural validation study conducted in an addiction unit at a public university hospital. This study included a control group (n = 100) and a drug-user group (n = 100). Both groups included subjects aged 18 to 60 years old. The control group had no prior diagnosis of drug addiction and the drug-user group included participants with a diagnosis of addiction. Each participant answered Brazilian Portuguese translations of both the BADDS and the Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS) questionnaires, in paper-and-pencil format. The drug-user group scored higher than the control group on both scales. The mean scores on ASRS were 27.26 (standard deviation, SD: 11.99) and 25.85 (SD: 8.65) respectively (P > 0.05). The mean scores on BADDS were 79.56 (SD: 29.61) and 79.31 (SD: 18.09), respectively (P > 0.05). Cronbach's alpha for BADDS was 0.95. BADDS presented fair sensitivity (72% accuracy) and fair specificity (88% accuracy). This study provides discriminative validity evidence for use of BADDS among Brazilian adults with substance-use disorders.