Disentangling racing thoughts from mind wandering in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Bibliographic Details
Title: Disentangling racing thoughts from mind wandering in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Emilie Martz, Luisa Weiner, Anne Bonnefond, Sébastien Weibel
Source: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 14 (2023)
Publisher Information: Frontiers Media S.A., 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Psychology
Subject Terms: adult ADHD, racing thoughts, spontaneous mind wandering, deliberate mind wandering, factor analysis, Psychology, BF1-990
More Details: IntroductionMental restlessness reported by adult with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been mainly explained by excessive mind wandering. However, the description of a mind constantly on the go is also akin to racing thoughts, predominantly described in bipolar disorder. This paper aimed at disentangling mind wandering from racing thoughts in adult with ADHD. Associations between those mental phenomena and the ADHD symptomatology were also investigated.MethodsTo this aim, 84 adults with ADHD completed self-reported questionnaires, including the Mind Wandering-Deliberate and Mind Wandering-Spontaneous questionnaires, the Racing and Crowded Thoughts Questionnaire and the Daydreaming Frequency Scale. Factorial analysis and multiple linear regressions were performed.ResultsThe factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution. The first factor encompassed the three facets of racing thoughts and was predicted by emotional lability. The second comprised deliberated-MW, spontaneous-MW and daydreaming, but was neither related to the ADHD symptoms, nor functional impairment.DiscussionThese findings suggest that MW and racing thoughts are two distinguishable mental phenomena. Racing thoughts appear to be a relevant hypothesis to explain the mental restlessness in adult ADHD.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1664-1078
Relation: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1166602/full; https://doaj.org/toc/1664-1078
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1166602
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/99a1911818e843d4b9f82b6aeb6b8e13
Accession Number: edsdoj.99a1911818e843d4b9f82b6aeb6b8e13
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:16641078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1166602
Published in:Frontiers in Psychology
Language:English