Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the relationship of mind wandering to impairment in adult ADHD

Florence Daisy Mowlem; Caroline Skirrow; Peter Reid; Stefanos Maltezos; Simrit Nijjar; Andrew Merwood; Edward Barker; Ruth Cooper; Jonna Kuntsi; Philip Asherson

doi:10.1177/1087054716651927

Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the relationship of mind wandering to impairment in adult ADHD

Florence Daisy Mowlem, Caroline Skirrow, Peter Reid, Stefanos Maltezos, Simrit Nijjar, Andrew Merwood, Edward Barker, Ruth Cooper, Jonna Kuntsi, Philip Asherson

Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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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 (α >.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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	624-634
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	23
Issue number	6
Early online date	2 Jun 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054716651927
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2019

Keywords

ADHD
functional impairment
mental restlessness
mind wandering
task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs)

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Validation of the Mind Excessively_MOWLEM_Firstonline2June2016_GOLD VoRFinal published version, 316 KBLicence: CC BY

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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 (α >.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.",

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AU - Maltezos, Stefanos

AU - Nijjar, Simrit

AU - Merwood, Andrew

AU - Barker, Edward

AU - Cooper, Ruth

AU - Kuntsi, Jonna

AU - Asherson, Philip

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Validation of the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale and the relationship of mind wandering to impairment in adult ADHD

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Keywords

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