Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: The Impact of Emotion Dysregulation on Mental Health

Objective: This study investigates how emotion dysregulation in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect their mental health, focusing on the use of reappraisal and suppression strategies. We aim to clarify the unique role these strategies play in managing ADHD symptoms and their impact on psychological well-being.Method: A web-based survey of 294 adults was conducted to evaluate ADHD tendencies, emotion regulation strategies, and mental health outcomes. Partial correlation analysis, Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis, and SEM were employed to explore the relationships between ADHD, reappraisal, suppression, and mental health.Results: Adults with higher ADHD tendencies reported greater difficulty using reappraisal strategies and experienced worse mental health outcomes, particularly due to an over-reliance on suppression. In contrast, those with lower ADHD tendencies balanced the use of both reappraisal and suppression strategies and exhibited more adaptive emotion regulation. Conclusion: ADHD tendencies significantly affect the choice of emotion regulation strategies, which in turn impacts mental health. Specifically, reappraisal was found to moderate the negative effects of ADHD on mental health, highlighting the importance of promoting adaptive emotion regulation strategies in clinical interventions for adults with ADHD.