The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Living “in the zone”: hyperfocus in adult ADHD
Abstract
Adults with ADHD often report episodes of long-lasting, highly focused attention, a surprising report given their tendency to be distracted by irrelevant information. This has been colloquially termed "hyperfocus" (HF). Here, we introduce a novel assessment tool, the "Adult Hyperfocus Questionnaire" and test the preregistered a priori hypothesis that HF is more prevalent in individuals with high levels of ADHD symptomology. We assess (1) a pilot sample (n = 251) and (2) a replication sample (n = 372) of adults with or without ADHD. Participants completed highly validated scales, including the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale, to index ADHD symptomology. Those with higher ADHD symptomology reported higher total and dispositional HF and more frequent HF across each of the three settings (school, hobbies, and screen time) as well as on a fourth subscale describing real-world HF scenarios. These findings are both clinically and scientifically significant, as this is the first study to comprehensively assess HF in adults with high ADHD symptomology and to present a means for assessing HF. Moreover, the sizable prevalence of HF in adults with high levels of ADHD symptomology leads to a need to study it as a potentially separable feature of the ADHD syndrome.
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In the citing paper
“The term 'hyperfocus' (HF) has been used to characterise this state of heightened, focused attention that individuals with ADHD frequently report (Hupfeld et al., 2019).”
From Intensity and Variable Attention: Counter Narrating ADHD, from ADHD Deficits to ADHD Difference (2023) · cites this paper as Hupfeld et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“Hupfeld et al. (2019) notes that 'adults with ADHD often report episodes of long-lasting, highly focused attention'.”
From Intensity and Variable Attention: Counter Narrating ADHD, from ADHD Deficits to ADHD Difference (2023) · cites this paper as Hupfeld et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“Summarising previous research, Hupfeld et al. (2019) stress the multi-dimensional aspects of HF, that it includes engagement in certain tasks in certain environments, which raises similar questions over the role of environmental cues on ADHD behaviours, where 'only certain situations induce HF' (Hupfeld et al., 2019).”
From Intensity and Variable Attention: Counter Narrating ADHD, from ADHD Deficits to ADHD Difference (2023) · cites this paper as Hupfeld et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“Difficulty among people with ADHD to focus their attention on tasks that are not intrinsically rewarding (Hupfeld et al., 2019;Dodson, 2022), can be linked to the theory of Monotropism in an autistic context as an 'Interest Based Account of Autism' (Murray et al., 2005;Murray, 2019).”
From Intensity and Variable Attention: Counter Narrating ADHD, from ADHD Deficits to ADHD Difference (2023) · cites this paper as Hupfeld et al., 2019
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- Leimkuhler ME (1994) Attention-deficit disorder in adults and adolescents: cognitive, behavioral, and personality styles. In: Ellison J, Weinstein C, Hodel-Malinofsky T (eds) The psychotherapists’ guide to neuropsychiatric patients: diagnostic and treatment issues. American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC, pp 175–216
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“These differences are particularly striking when one considers that the Hyperfocus Questionnaire used in this study offers clear response options, such as “Never (not in the past month)” and “Rarely (less than once per week)” (Hupfeld et al., 2019).”
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“Hyperfocus is a phenomenon commonly observed in individuals with ADHD, characterized by intense and prolonged concentration on personally engaging activities, often to the exclusion of other stimuli [Hupfeld et al. 2019].”
Metadata
- Authors
- Hupfeld, K. E., Abagis, T. R., & Shah, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Florida (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hupfeld, Kathleen E.
- Venue
- ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders
- Published
- 2018-09-28
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 191-208
- ISSN
- 1866-6116 (ISSN-L)
- 1866-6647
- OpenAlex
- W2894319308
- Cited by
- 157
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 3.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2019-03-08)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Institute of Education Sciences (R324A150023)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Keywords
- hyperfocus, adult ADHD, attentional focus, distractibility, screen time, hobbies, school environment
- MeSH terms
- Attentional Bias, Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Case-Control Studies, Behavior, Addictive, Internet
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