Wandering minds in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and borderline personality disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) have overlapping symptoms. We proposed that excessive spontaneous mind wandering (MW-S) might reflect a component of psychopathology that distinguishes ADHD from BPD. Using a questionnaire measure of MW-S and a...

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Main Authors: Moukhtarian, Talar (Author) , Reinhard, Iris (Author) , Morillas-Romero, Alfonso (Author) , Ryckaert, Celine (Author) , Mowlem, Florence (Author) , Bozhilova, Natali (Author) , Moran, Paul (Author) , Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich (Author) , Asherson, Philip (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: September 2020
In: European neuropsychopharmacology
Year: 2020, Volume: 38, Pages: 98-109
ISSN:1873-7862
DOI:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.07.005
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.07.005
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X20302169
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Author Notes:Talar R Moukhtarian, Iris Reinhard, Alfonso Morillas-Romero, Celine Ryckaert, Florence Mowlem, Natali Bozhilova, Paul Moran, Ulrich Ebner-Priemer, Philip Asherson
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Summary:Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) have overlapping symptoms. We proposed that excessive spontaneous mind wandering (MW-S) might reflect a component of psychopathology that distinguishes ADHD from BPD. Using a questionnaire measure of MW-S and an experience sampling method, we investigated MW-S in daily life, in 28 ADHD, 19 BPD, 22 comorbid ADHD+BPD, and 29 control females. The clinical groups reported heightened frequency and intensity of MW-S compared to controls, but no differences from each other. When controlling for depression and anxiety, significant differences only persisted between controls and ADHD, who also showed elevated intensity of MW-S compared to BPD and comorbid ADHD+BPD. We found no MW-S instability differences amongst clinical cases as well as cases versus controls. Negative content of MW-S was higher in BPD and comorbid ADHD+BPD compared to controls, with no differences between ADHD and controls. When controlling for depression/anxiety, the differences between BPD and comorbid ADHD+BPD and controls dissipated. MW-S is a trans-diagnostic process present in both ADHD and BPD. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of this experience may be driven by anxiety/depression in BPD but reflect a core process in ADHD.
Item Description:Gesehen am 19.01.2026
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1873-7862
DOI:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.07.005