At times, it may feel as though you hear a lot of discussion about the problems that a child with ADHD will face. Often, when you find a news article that talks about ADHD, it is focusing on the negative aspects of life with ADHD. Every once in a while, though, you can find information that points out the positive aspects of having ADHD. It turns out that children, (and adults), who have ADHD tend to be more creative than those who do not have this disorder.
ADHD runs in families. It runs through mine like a river in the rainy season, submerging those who are in it, and splashing over those around them. This means that there is likely to be more than one person in a given family who has ADHD. I can tell you from personal experience that problems occur when a parent who has ADHD, (who is unaware of it), tries to raise a child who has ADHD, (who isn’t being treated for it). I can only assume that there are other people who grew up in such a family, and who can relate to that kind of experience.
Kids with ADHD have a high degree of distractibility. Ever had the experience of redirecting a child who has ADHD, over and over again, so that he or she can stay on task long enough to finish a homework assignment? It can be frustrating, and it is no wonder that parents of kids with ADHD tend to see their child’s lack of focus as a detrimental thing. However, it turns out that this high level of distractibility actually does come with some advantages.
A study that was published in the “Journal of Personality and Individual Differences” found that adults who have ADHD were more creative than people who didn’t have the disorder. The study involved 60 college students, half of whom had ADHD, and half of whom did not, and gave them a series of tests that were designed to measure creativity across ten different domains. The group that had ADHD scored higher, across the board. This same group tended to show a preference towards brainstorming, and generating ideas, than did the group that did not have ADHD. The group without ADHD preferred to refine and clarify ideas, rather than come up with new ones.
Scientists think that the distractibility that most people with ADHD struggle with is the cause of the higher levels of creativity. Not being completely focused on a task allows the brain to make associations and connections that might not have happened if the person was entirely focused on the task at hand. This allows for an openness to new ideas, which also tends to produce creativity. So, the next time your child who has ADHD gets distracted by something other than his or her homework, remind yourself that this distractibility is what allows your child to be the creative genius that you know him or her to be.
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