Creativity in Children with Attention Déficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

Research about creativity in ADHD children is very limited and has shown discordant results. Some features of cognitive functioning in ADHD, such as scattered attention, difficulty suppressing brain activity of the default neural network, inefficiency to inhibit irrelevant stimuli that access consciousness, or common markers-based genetics, are at the base of the connection between ADHD and creativity. The aim of this study is to explore whether the ADHD children are more creative and obtain better results in the divergent tasks traditionally considered as measures of creativity regarding children control. Method: The sample comprised 68 children, aged 8 to 13 years. A group of 34 children diagnosed with ADHD (M age 10.5, SD = 1.6) was compared to a control group of 34 without ADHD (M age = 10.8, SD = 1.7). None were under pharmacological treatment. The children were assessed using the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking Figurative (TTCT). Results: ADHD children showed better results in some areas of creativity, showing higher scores in Fluency, with a greater number of responses, Originality, with a greater number of unusual or unconventional responses, together with higher scores in Creative strengths, which include measures for movement or action, emotional expressiveness, story-telling articulateness, unusual visualization, humor or fantasy. Partial η 2 effect sizes ranged from 0.19 to 0.34. As a consequence of those partial superior resultados, the ADHD children show a higher global creativity index than the control group. Conclusions: Our results suggest that children diagnosed with ADHD are more creative, than typically developing children, not in all evaluated areas but in some of them. This finding could provide guidance for the use of more effective assessments and interventions to promote this positive quality in children with ADHD.

Creativity in ADHD: Goal-Directed Motivation and Domain Specificity

“…However, because of the large individual variability, we did not take the type and dosage of medication into account. Future studies could more systematically assess medication effects on creativity in ADHD by manipulating medication use, similar to several studies conducted with children with ADHD (Douglas, Barr, Desilets, & Sherman, 1995; González-Carpio Hernández & Serrano Selva, 2016). Similarly, comorbidity with other mental disorders in the ADHD group was too diverse to allow for meaningful exploration of its association with creativity, although it is likely that comorbid disorders influence creative processes in ADHD (e.g., Baas et al, 2016).…”

Intelligent Recognition of Hospital Image Based on Deep Learning: The Relationship between Adaptive Behavior and Family Function in Children with ADHD

“…It has a stronger expression and learning ability [ 4 ]. As a method of studying features, deep learning actually uses some simple nonlinear models to transform the original features of data into more abstract and advanced expressions [ 2 ]. For the classification task, the high-level expression of data can usually enhance its classification ability and eliminate the influence of unnecessary factors [ 10 ].…”

“…There is increasing evidence that the quality of parent relationship is correlated with ADHD symptoms in children. However, there is a lack of necessary experimental data [ 2 ]. Weyers l believes that the parallel phenomenon found in the study of attachment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder indicates that there is a connection between the two structures.…”

The Positive Aspects of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder among Famous People

“…However, it is difficult to say whether there are more artists among people with ADHD. While children with ADHD may be more creative in some evaluated areas compared to typical developing children, 25 there have been no follow-up reports of creative children with ADHD through adulthood. For parents, in addition, the effects of stimulants on creativity can affect the decision of medication for children with ADHD.…”