Gençlerde Dikkat İşlevleri Üzerine Etkili Olan Faktörler

Abstract

Alp, A., Factors Affecting Attention in Youths. Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Dissertation Thesis in Psychiatry, Ankara, 2024. The diagnosis and self-awareness of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which negatively affects attention, has been increasing in youngsters in recent years. However, it has been reported that over-diagnosis and psychostimulant use in this group due to lifestyles that mimic ADHD symptoms without being associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder. This study aimed to investigate in a cross-sectional and observational manner, the factors affecting the attention capabilites of youngsters within a natural sample. The study included 223 healthy university students enrolled in faculties at Hacettepe University. To assess attention functions, participants were administered the MOXO-d-CPT (Continuous Performance Test), Trail Making Test A and B, and Stroop Test TBAG Form. Following the completion of neuropsychological tests, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (Turgay Adult ADHD Rating Scale) and the Addiction Profile Index Clinician Form were used to evaluate adult ADHD traits and alcohol-substance use disorders, respectively. Additionally, participants were asked to complete the Wender-Utah Rating Scale for assessing childhood ADHD traits, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep quality and habits, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire for identifying biological rhythms, and the Screen Time Form and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Scale to evaluate problematic use of technological devices. They were also asked to fill out the Caffeine Consumption Habits Form, Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. When participants were divided into groups based on attention functions evaluated through objective measures, multiple variables influencing these groups were identified. These variables included the student’s residency, the faculty they attended and the anxiety. In a simple logistic regression model, additional factors such as adult ADHD traits and childhood ADHD traits were found to have significant effects. Lifestyle habits such as perceived stress levels, depressive symptom levels, sleep quality, chronotype differences, caffeine consumption habits, physical activity levels, excessive screen time, and problematic technology use were not found to impact objectively measured attention capabilities. However, except for caffeine consumption, all these lifestyle habits were associated with subjectively reported ADHD traits. It was determined that subjective complaints related to attention capabilities reported by youngsters were inconsistent with objective measures, and they perceived their current state as having a higher level of dysfunction.. In conclusion, In conclusion, this study demonstrated that maladaptive lifestyle habits potentially associated with ADHD-like traits could negatively influence the attention functions of young individuals. Interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle may enhance attention capabilities in this group.