Their findings also challenge the "possibility comorbidity between the two disorders in the adult population," they wrote.
The investigators cited several limitations. Among them is that the study included only male participants and should be replicated with both sexes. In addition, the study used self-reported measures, including current and retrospective accounts of ADHD childhood symptoms, the latter of which "are prone to error."
Nevertheless, the authors cites studies demonstrating that self-report ADHD measures have equally sound psychometric properties as clinician administered ones.
The authors conclude that "clinicians ought to pay careful consideration to OCD symptoms in the diagnostic process of individuals suspected of having ADHD, and be mindful that [obsessive-compulsive] symptomatology has the possibility to manifest through ADHD-like symptoms," the investigators said.
No funding was received for this study, and the investigators reported no relevant financial conflicts.