Adolescents with ADHD Hyper-focus During High Environmental Demand

Anecdotal evidence reveals that adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who participate in UBA remain focused while rock climbing.

A recent study suggests why — that adolescents with ADHD may cope best during periods of high stress creating periods of remission.

Children with DSM-5 ADHD, combined type (N = 483), participating in the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) adult follow-up were assessed 9 times from baseline (mean age = 8.46) to 16-year follow-up (mean age = 25.12). The fluctuating subgroup (63.8% of sample) was compared to other MTA subgroups.

The study found that patients responded well in times of high environment demand because a heightened sense of responsibility and urgency leads to hyper-focus.

High environmental demand and remission may also lead to the prevention of symptoms related to mood disorders, substance use problems, low medication utilization, and poorer response to childhood treatment as well.

Maggie Sibley explained that this counterintuitive finding suggests that “ADHD patients may do best when they have to rise to the occasion.”

Arij Alarachi, a psychology PhD student at McMaster University who has researched ADHD and anxiety with St Joseph’s hospital in Hamilton, Canada, says it makes sense that ADHD would respond differently to different circumstances.

Alarachi provided an even more hopeful message that people can adapt their circumstances to better cope with their ADHD.