Probe-caught spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering in relation to self-reported inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive traits in adults

Abstract

Research has revealed a positive relationship between types of mind wandering and ADHD at clinical and subclinical levels. However, this work did not consider the relationship between mind wandering and the core symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Given that the DMS-V attributes mind wandering to inattention only, and that only inattention is thought to result from impairment to the executive function linked to mind wandering, the present research sought to examine this relationship in 80 undiagnosed adults. Using both standard and easy versions of the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) we measured both spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering. We found that spontaneous mind wandering was related to self-reported inattentive traits when the task was cognitively more challenging (standard SART). However, hyperactive and impulsive traits were related to spontaneous mind wandering independent of task difficulty. The results suggest inattentive traits are not uniquely related to mind wandering; indeed, adults with hyperactive/impulsive traits were more likely to experience mind wandering, suggesting that mind wandering might not be useful diagnostic criteria for inattention.

Mind Wandering (Internal Distractibility) in ADHD: A Literature Review

“…The second study (Jonkman et al, 2017) found a relationship between ADHD inattention symptoms and mind wandering but not for hyperactivity–impulsivity symptoms. In contrast, another study (Arabaci & Parris, 2018) in non-referred adults found that all three ADHD domains—inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity—correlated with spontaneous but not deliberate mind wandering.…”

“…Four adult studies differentiated between spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering. These latter studies found a positive association between ADHD symptoms and levels of spontaneous mind wandering (Arabaci & Parris, 2018; Biederman et al, 2017; Mowlem et al, 2019; Seli, Smallwood, Cheyne, & Smilek, 2015). One study (Franklin et al, 2017) differentiated detrimental versus useful mind wandering and found that individuals with high ADHD symptoms engaged in more detrimental mind wandering.…”

“…Although one study (Jonkman et al, 2017) found mind wandering to be selectively associated with ADHD symptoms of inattention, another study (Arabaci & Parris, 2018) found all three domains of ADHD symptomatology (inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) to be associated with mind wandering. More research is needed to elucidate these contradictory findings.…”

Prediction of stimulus-independent and task-unrelated thought from functional brain networks

“…A possible reason for this group difference is that the ADHD, relative to healthy, group reported lower awareness of where their attention was focused (in the MGH sample). This decreased awareness may indicate spontaneous, as opposed to deliberate, SITUT, a feature previously linked to ADHD symptoms 63 , 79 . It is possible that increased DMN-FPCN coupling more closely reflects deliberate, compared to spontaneous mind wandering 6 , and as such, DMN-FPCN coupling corresponded to SITUT only in healthy participants in our study because those individuals were experiencing SITUTs more deliberately than were the participants with ADHD.…”

Generalizable prediction of stimulus-independent, task-unrelated thought from functional brain networks

“…This decreased awareness may indicate spontaneous, as opposed to deliberate, SITUT, a feature previously linked to ADHD symptoms. 62,81 It is possible that increased DMN-FPCN coupling more closely reflects deliberate, compared to spontaneous mind wandering, 6 and as such, DMN-FPCN coupling corresponded to SITUT only in healthy participants in our study because these individuals were experiencing SITUTs more deliberately than were ADHD participants. Notably, various rs-fMRI studies have shown a relationship between ADHD and reduced resting state DMN anticorrelation with other networks, including the FPCN, [82][83][84] as well as with dampened task-evoked FPCN activation and DMN deactivation.…”