ABSTRACT
Background
In the Middle East and North Africa, there is a dearth of research on Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Offering a brief, publicly available, and psychometrically valid screening instrument for adult ADHD that can be easily used in large-scale surveys among Arabic-speaking populations could encourage research and facilitate case detection. The purpose of this study was to translate the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale v1.1 6-Question Screener (ASRS-6) into Arabic and assess its psychometric properties among a sample of Lebanese adults from the general population.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2025 using an online survey distributed via a mixed convenience and snowball sampling. A total of 1059 Lebanese adults participated (mean age = 28.52 ± 11.41 years; 66.0% females). The questionnaire included the Arabic ASRS-6, the validated Arabic versions of the Stress Numerical Rating Scale-11, the Patient Health Questionnaire, and the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index. The total sample was randomly divided into two split-half subsamples, one for the exploratory (EFA) and the second for the confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis.
Results
The EFA and CFA supported the one factor structure, which showed acceptable fit indices. A correlation was added between residuals of items 5 and 6, which improved the model fit and was consequently used in the analysis. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.68 indicated acceptable internal consistency. A significantly higher ASRS-6 mean scores was found in females versus males (10.85 ± 3.98 vs 10.22 ± 4.09; t (1057) = −2.41, p = 0.009, Cohen’s d = 0.157). A significantly higher ASRS-6 mean score was found in single participants compared to married ones (10.84 ± 3.95 vs 10.19 ± 4.16; t (1057) = 2.46, p = 0.014, Cohen’s d = 0.163). However, no significant difference was found between participants with a secondary level of education or less compared to those with a university education level in terms of ASRS-6 scores (10.20 ± 4.32 vs 10.73 ± 3.95; t (1057) = −1.68, p = 0.094, Cohen’s d = 0.131).
Higher ASRS-6 scores were significantly associated with higher depression (r = 0.33; p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.33; p < 0.001), stress (r = 0.30; p < 0.001), and lower well-being scores (r = −0.38; p < 0.001).
Conclusion
The results provide initial support for applying the Arabic version of the ASRS-6 screener in community epidemiological surveys, clinical outreach, and case-finding initiatives. However, additional work is needed to approve its validity and expand its use in different Arab nations.