Can ADHD Make You More Creative by Letting Your Mind Wander? Study Sheds Light

The study assessed creativity through standardized methods, such as asking participants to generate creative uses for everyday objects. Simultaneously, researchers measured two forms of mind wandering: spontaneous, where thoughts shift unintentionally, and deliberate, where individuals purposefully let their minds explore freely. Both groups exhibited typical ADHD behaviors like impulsivity and inattention, and in both, those with stronger ADHD traits reported higher levels of mind wandering.

“We found that people with more ADHD trait,s such as lack of attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, score higher on creative achievements in both studies,” Fang noted. Importantly, deliberate mind wandering was particularly linked to enhanced creativity in ADHD individuals. This finding suggests that certain cognitive patterns in ADHD may serve as a source of innovation.

These insights could shape future treatment and education strategies. The researchers emphasize the need for further studies to confirm and expand on these findings.

Reference: https://www.ecnp.eu/congress2025/