Why Are Individuals With ADHD More Prone to Boredom? Examining Attention Control and Working Memory as Mediators of Boredom in Young Adults With ADHD Traits.

The article focuses on investigating the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits and proneness to boredom, specifically examining whether attention control and working memory mediate this relationship in young adults. The study found that individuals with ADHD traits reported significantly higher boredom propensity and demonstrated poorer performance on tasks measuring attention control and working memory compared to peers without ADHD traits. Mediation analyses indicated that deficits in attention control and working memory partially explained (accounting for about 5.8% and 6.4% of the variance, respectively) the increased boredom proneness associated with ADHD traits. These findings support the Cognitive Theory of Boredom, suggesting that difficulties in sustaining and regulating attention contribute to boredom experiences in individuals with ADHD traits.