Hyperfocus symptom and internet addiction in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder trait.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey study
PubMed 37009127 · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1127777
What was done
A web-based cross-sectional study of 3,500 Japanese adults who completed online self-report questionnaires: the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Hyperfocus Scale (HFS). Investigators conducted mediation analysis to assess whether hyperfocus mediates the relationship between ADHD symptoms and internet addiction, and evaluated correlations between hyperfocus and ADHD subscales (inattention vs. hyperactivity).
What was found
ADHD traits were significantly associated with higher internet addiction scores (p < 0.001) and higher hyperfocus scores (p < 0.001). Hyperfocus significantly mediated the association between ADHD symptoms and internet addiction. Hyperfocus correlated positively with both inattention scores (R = 0.597, p < 0.001) and hyperactivity scores (R = 0.523, p < 0.001), with the correlation for inattention being significantly stronger than that for hyperactivity (p < 0.001).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that hyperfocus—an often-overlooked aspect of attentional dysregulation in ADHD—may be an important psychological mechanism linking ADHD traits to addictive online behaviors.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional, preventing causal or temporal conclusions regarding whether hyperfocus causes internet addiction. All measures relied on web-based self-report instruments rather than clinical psychiatric diagnoses of ADHD or formal behavioral assessments of internet addiction. The sample was restricted to Japanese adults participating in online surveys, which may introduce selection bias toward heavy internet users.
Cited by
- supports Children with ADHD are able to focus for extended periods if the task is engaging enough, such as playing video games.