Does Stimulant Medication Status Moderate the Association Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms and Rumination?

Abstract

Previous research suggests that college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are at risk for experiencing ruminative thinking. Although research has shown that stimulant medications reduce ADHD symptoms, no research has looked at whether stimulant medication moderates the association between ADHD symptoms and rumination. Given this gap in the literature, the current study examined whether stimulant medication status moderates the association between ADHD symptoms and rumination. Participants (N = 4,751) were undergraduate psychology students from six universities (70.0% female; M_age = 19.08; SD_age = 1.36) who participated in a larger study. College students completed questionnaires related to ADHD symptoms and rumination and indicated whether they were currently taking a stimulant medication. Results of the moderation model indicated a significant main effect for ADHD inattentive symptoms (β = 5.20, p < .05, 95% CI [4.43, 5.98]) and a significant interaction effect between ADHD inattentive symptoms and stimulant medication in relation to rumination (β = -2.41, p < .05, 95% CI [-4.51, -.30]). Examination of conditional effects revealed significant simple slopes for students both on and off medication but a stronger association for those off (β = 5.20, p < .05, 95% CI [4.43, 5.98]) versus on (β = 2.80, p < .05, 95% CI [.78, 4.81]) stimulant medication. Stimulant medication status did not moderate the association between ADHD hyperactive/impulsive symptoms and rumination. Future research should continue to explore the potential benefits of stimulant medication for reducing the association between ADHD inattention symptoms and rumination.