Unraveling the mind wandering-ADHD connection: The differential impact of subjective feelings of inattention and remembered mind wandering on symptoms and well-being.

Mind wandering is frequently associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet the precise nature of this relationship remains elusive. The current study applies a novel approach from mind wandering research to the context of ADHD, distinguishing between remembered mind wandering (explicitly recalling off-task thoughts) and subjective feelings of inattention (sensing one's mind has wandered without recalling specific thoughts). We investigated how these distinct aspects of inattention relate to ADHD symptomatology and well-being. Participants from university and online ADHD communities completed the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) incorporating our thought probe methodology, along with measures of ADHD symptoms and well-being. Results revealed a double dissociation: subjective feelings of inattention predicted overall ADHD symptomatology, inattention symptoms, and measures of well-being and daily impairment, while remembered mind wandering only predicted hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. Our findings suggest that the link between mind wandering and ADHD is best characterized as an association between subjective feelings of inattention and inattention symptoms. We propose that this association can be explained in terms of executive dysfunction, which may underlie both increased subjective feelings of inattention and symptoms of ADHD. This nuanced perspective provides novel insights into the complex relationship between mind wandering and ADHD, underscoring the importance of considering multiple dimensions of inattention in both research and clinical contexts.