Abstract
There is a good deal of evidence suggesting that the prevalence of mental disorders among imprisoned people is significantly higher that in general population. In this context, literature shows that there is an important presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) within this population. However, research on this topic is lacking. This study estimated the prevalence of ADHD in a penitentiary population by means of positive screening and established the sociodemographic characteristics related to the presence of the disorder. Two different scales of ADHD, widely applied and validated for adult population, were used for this purpose - ASRS and WURS. One-hundred and forty three prisoners between 18 and 69 years old from Villabona's Penitentiary Establishment (Asturias, Spain) took part in this study. Results showed 25% of apparent prevalence of ADHD, using both scales. Statistically significant differences were found in sex, educational level and employment situation, showing different profiles as a function of the presence of ADHD symptoms. These results highlight the need to study the consequences of this disorder within imprisoned populations in order to improve therapeutic management, paying attention to their characteristics.
ADHD; Prison; Prevalence; Sociodemographic characteristics; Behavior assessment