Daily life mind wandering and its relation to symptoms of ADHD in a community sample of emerging adults

Abstract Previous work has shown that the core symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, were related to increased spontaneous mind wandering even at trait (non-clinical) levels in an experimental setting. These findings contrast with the fact that mind wandering is only referenced as a symptom of inattention in the DSM-V. In the present work we set out to further investigate the relationship between mind wandering and the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity by considering mind wandering in daily life in emerging adults. We conducted a survey study of 627 emerging adults measuring the tendencies of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity as well as daily life reports of mind wandering. Consistent with effects in an experimental setting, spontaneous mind wandering was linked to all three core symptoms of ADHD. A novel finding was that inattention and hyperactivity were also related to the reports of deliberate mind wandering. Our findings reveal a consistent link between mind wandering and the three core symptoms of ADHD, suggesting mind wandering is not associated with just the core symptom of inattention in emerging adulthood.