Hyperfocusing as a dimension of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) suffer not only from inability to focus but also from inability to shift attention for events that trigger their interests. This phenomenon is called "hyperfocusing". Previous literature about hyperfocusing is scarce and relies mainly on case reports. The study aimed to investigate and compare the severity of hyperfocusing in adult ADHD with and without psycho-stimulant use. ADHD (DSM-IV-TR) patients either psycho-stimulant naive (n=53) or on psycho-stimulants (n=79) from two ADHD clinics were recruited. The control group (n=65) consisted of healthy university students. A socio-demographic form, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Wender-Utah Rating Scale, the Adult ADHD Self- Report Scale and the Hyperfocusing Scale were applied to the participants. There was no difference between total Hyperfocusing Scale and Adult ADHD Self- Report Scale scores of two patient groups, but both have higher scores than controls (p<0.001). Hyperfocusing is higher in adult ADHD and there was no difference between stimulant-naive patients or patients on stimulants. Hyperfocusing can be defined as a separate dimension of adult ADHD.
Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: etozel@ankara.edu.tr.
Erguvan Tugba
ET
Ozel-Kizil
Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Training Hospital, Psychiatry Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Kokurcan
Bakırkoy Mazhar Osman Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychiatry Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey.
Umut Mert
UM
Aksoy
Bergama Public Hospital, Psychiatry Clinic, Izmir, Turkey.
Bilgen Bicer
BB
Kanat
Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Affective Disorders Unit, Uppsala, Sweden.
Direnc
D
Sakarya
Ankara University Vocational School of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
Gulbahar
G
Bastug
Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Burcin
B
Colak
Klinikum Wahrendorff Psychiatric Hospital, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Hannover, Germany.
Umut
U
Altunoz
Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Sevinc
S
Kirici
Gazi University, Department of Psychology, Ankara, Turkey.
Hatice
H
Demirbas
Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Bedriye
B
Oncu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate
Adult ADHD; Assessment; Psychostimulant