Investigating behavioural addictions in adults with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Open accessAbstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) confers greater risk of alcohol and substance use disorders, which may be linked to altered compulsivity and impulsivity within the condition. However, no study has investigated the link between these constructs and behavioural addictions in ADHD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether individuals with ADHD show increased impulsivity, compulsivity, and associated distress, as well as addictive behaviour for gambling, exercise, and internet use, and to assess the relationship between these factors. Adults with and without ADHD were recruited from across the UK and completed an online survey measuring impulsivity, compulsivity, gambling, internet use and exercise addiction. Three hundred and forty-six adults took part (Healthy control = 137, ADHD-medicated = 110, ADHD-unmedicated = 99). Those declaring a diagnosis of ADHD reported greater internet use problems and greater withdrawal from exercise. Medicated individuals also reported higher exercise continuance and were more likely be symptomatic for exercise dependency. Individuals identifying with ADHD had greater levels of impulsivity and compulsivity, with impulsivity correlated with all behavioural addictions, whilst compulsivity correlated only with exercise and internet use. Regression analyses indicated that the distress caused by impulsivity and compulsivity was associated with internet use. Although further research is needed, this study indicates that the greater risk of behavioural addictions found in those with ADHD may relate to impulsivity and compulsivity, and that this should be considered when managing ADHD.
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Dopamine dysregulation makes it difficult for those with ADHD to resist distractions and delay satisfaction, especially in digital settings.
“This dysregulation makes it difficult for those with ADHD to resist distractions and delay satisfaction, which is especially troublesome in digital settings [22].”
From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
The Introduction describes inattention and impulsivity as ADHD symptoms, and the Discussion (Limitations; page unavailable) reports higher impulsivity and more problematic internet use among adults with ADHD. The paper does not establish that dopamine dysregulation causes difficulty resisting distractions or delaying satisfaction, nor that digital settings specifically intensify those difficulties. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health
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- Authors
- Findon, J. L., Muck, A., Tóthpál- Davison, B., & Dommett, E. J.
- Corresponding author
- Dommett, Eleanor J.
- Venue
- PLOS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2025-02-05
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e0317525
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC11798432
- OpenAlex
- W4407174133
- Cited by
- 4
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3
- FWCI
- 2.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, behavioral addiction, impulsivity, compulsivity, exercise addiction, internet use, gambling addiction, alcoholism, substance use disorders, ADHD medication, addictive behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Compulsive Behavior, Female, Gambling, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Exercise, Behavior, Addictive, Internet, Young Adult
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