Dataset Information

Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the Relationship of Mind Wandering to Impairment in Adult ADHD.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study investigates excessive mind wandering (MW) in adult ADHD using a new scale: the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS).

Method

Data from two studies of adult ADHD was used in assessing the psychometric properties of the MEWS. Case-control differences in MW, the association with ADHD symptoms, and the contribution to functional impairment were investigated.

Results

The MEWS functioned well as a brief measure of excessive MW in adult ADHD, showing good internal consistency (? > .9), and high sensitivity (.9) and specificity (.9) for the ADHD diagnosis, comparable with that of existing ADHD symptom rating scales. Elevated levels of MW were found in adults with ADHD, which contributed to impairment independently of core ADHD symptom dimensions.

Conclusion

Findings suggest excessive MW is a common co-occurring feature of adult ADHD that has specific implications for the functional impairments experienced. The MEWS has potential utility as a screening tool in clinical practice to assist diagnostic assessment.

SUBMITTER: Mowlem FD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6429624 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the Relationship of Mind Wandering to Impairment in Adult ADHD.

Mowlem Florence D FD Skirrow Caroline C Reid Peter P Maltezos Stefanos S Nijjar Simrit K SK Merwood Andrew A Barker Edward E Cooper Ruth R Kuntsi Jonna J Asherson Philip P

Journal of attention disorders 20160602 6

<h4>Objective</h4>This study investigates excessive mind wandering (MW) in adult ADHD using a new scale: the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS).<h4>Method</h4>Data from two studies of adult ADHD was used in assessing the psychometric properties of the MEWS. Case-control differences in MW, the association with ADHD symptoms, and the contribution to functional impairment were investigated.<h4>Results</h4>The MEWS functioned well as a brief measure of excessive MW in adult ADHD, showing good i ...[more]

PMID: 27255536

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Project description:A significant body of literature supports the contention that pupil size varies depending on cognitive load, affective state, and level of drowsiness. Here we assessed whether oculometric measures such as gaze position, blink frequency and pupil size were correlated with the occurrence and time course of self-reported mind-wandering episodes. We recorded the pupil size of two subjects engaged in a monotonous breath counting task while keeping their eyes on a fixation cross. This task is conducive to producing mind-wandering episodes. Each subject performed ten 20-min sessions, for total duration of about 4 h. Subjects were instructed to report spontaneous mind-wandering episodes by pressing a button when they lost count of their breath. After each button press, subjects filled in a short questionnaire describing the characteristics of their mind-wandering episode. We observed larger pupil size during the breath-focusing period compared to the mind-wandering period (p < 0.01 for both subjects). Our findings contradict previous research showing a higher baseline pupil size during mind wandering episodes in visual tasks. We discuss possible explanations for this discrepancy. We also analyzed nine other oculometric measures including blink rate, blink duration and gaze position. We built a support vector machine (SVM) classifier and showed that mean pupil size was the most reliable predictor of mind wandering in both subjects. The classification accuracy of mind wandering data segments vs. breath-focusing data segments was 81% for the first subject and 77% for the second subject. Additionally, we analyzed oculometric measures in light of the phenomenological data collected in the questionnaires. We showed that how well subjects remembered their thoughts while mind wandering was positively correlated with pupil size (subject 1, p < 0.001; subject 2, p < 0.05). Feelings of well being were also positively correlated with pupil size (subject 1, p < 0.001; subject 2, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that oculometric data could be used as a neurocognitive marker of mind-wandering episodes.

Project description:IntroductionThere has been a growing interest in studying brain activity under naturalistic conditions. However, the relationship between individual differences in ongoing brain activity and psychological characteristics is not well understood. We investigated this connection, focusing on the association between oscillatory activity in the brain and individually characteristic dispositional traits. Given the variability of unconstrained resting states among individuals, we devised a paradigm that could harmonize the state of mind across all participants.MethodsWe constructed task contrasts that included focused attention (FA), self-centered future planning, and rumination on anxious thoughts triggered by visual imagery. Magnetoencephalography was recorded from 28 participants under these 3 conditions for a duration of 16 min. The oscillatory power in the alpha and beta bands was converted into spatial contrast maps, representing the difference in brain oscillation power between the two conditions. We performed permutation cluster tests on these spatial contrast maps. Additionally, we applied penalized canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to study the relationship between brain oscillation patterns and behavioral traits.ResultsThe data revealed that the FA condition, as compared to the other conditions, was associated with higher alpha and beta power in the temporal areas of the left hemisphere and lower alpha and beta power in the parietal areas of the right hemisphere. Interestingly, the penalized CCA indicated that behavioral inhibition was positively correlated, whereas anxiety was negatively correlated, with a pattern of high oscillatory power in the bilateral precuneus and low power in the bilateral temporal regions. This unique association was found in the anxious-thoughts condition when contrasted with the focused-attention condition.ConclusionOur findings suggest individual temperament traits significantly affect brain engagement in naturalistic conditions. This research underscores the importance of considering individual traits in neuroscience and offers an effective method for analyzing brain activity and psychological differences.

Dataset Information

Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the Relationship of Mind Wandering to Impairment in Adult ADHD.

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the Relationship of Mind Wandering to Impairment in Adult ADHD.

Similar Datasets

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