Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
Mind-wandering in children with and without ADHD
Matilda A Frick1, Philip Asherson2, Karin C Brocki1
1Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Mind-wandering (MW) is more common in children with ADHD, impacting working memory and emotion regulation. The Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) effectively identifies this in children, similar to adults.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Mind-wandering (MW) involves attention drifting from the present to internal thoughts.
- While linked to ADHD in adults, this association is less studied in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the association between MW and ADHD in children.
- Validate the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) for use in children.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, correlational study design.
- 82 children (ages 8-13, 35 with ADHD) participated.
- Children self-reported MW; parents/teachers reported ADHD symptoms, emotion regulation, and academic achievement. Working memory was assessed using Digit Span.
Main Results:
- MW positively correlated with ADHD symptoms.
- MEWS demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 0.71, specificity 0.81).
- MW independently predicted working memory and emotion regulation, beyond ADHD symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Children with ADHD exhibit elevated MW.
- MW is a valid target for intervention in pediatric ADHD.
- The MEWS is a reliable tool for assessing MW in children, with findings comparable to adult studies.
More Related Videos
10:02Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Published on: March 12, 2020
12:21Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Information Processing Approach
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Adler's Individual Psychology
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and...