Mind-Wandering to Hyperfocus in ADHD ’d Factor’ as the Connection!
Prior research has explored various types of distraction, such as external stimulations,
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Some research has suggested that vulnerability to different types of distraction could potentially be mathematically captured by an overarching “distractibility factor.”
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However, the evidence for a distractibility factor has been limited, and most studies have not considered a comprehensive collection of different types of distractionincluding some associated with ADHD.
To better understand different types of distraction and their potential relationship with ADHD, Zhang, and colleagues asked a total of 1,220 participants to complete an extensive series of questionnaires to evaluate their tendency to experience different kinds of distraction in their daily lives, such as difficulty concentrating with a TV on or losing oneself in daydreaming.
Exploring the Science of Distraction and Focus
The questionnaires also evaluated symptoms of ADHD and hyperfocusa long-lasting state of intense concentration sometimes linked to ADHD.
Analysis of participants’ answers surfaced three key, distinct factors that could statistically explain patterns observed in the data: external distraction, unwanted intrusive thoughts, and mind-wandering.
The researchers found that the statistical relationships between these three factors could be accounted for by a single, higher-level factorwhich they named the d factor.
Further analysis showed strong statistical links between the d factor and a person’s ADHD symptoms. The d factor was also linked to hyperfocus, suggesting that hyperfocus might, in part, reflect attention difficulties.
These findings could help lead to a better understanding of people’s distractibility and its relationship to ADHD.
The authors note the need for additional research to further explore the nature of the d factor and its links to ADHD, as well as the need to employ additional data-gathering methods, such as behavioral tasks or tests.
The authors add: “A critical finding of our study is the identification of a higher-order factor that could be construed to represent a general distractibility trait. People who score high on the ‘general distractibility’ trait are more easily distracted in many situations.”
Reference :
- A d factor? Understanding trait distractibility and its relationships with ADHD symptomatology and hyperfocus
– (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0292215)
Source: Eurekalert
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