Trait mindfulness in adolescents with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Teens with ADHD show a clear mindfulness gap, especially acting with awareness, that tracks their core symptoms.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mitchell et al. (2025) asked 120 teens to fill out a short mindfulness form. Half had ADHD, half did not.
The survey measures five parts of mindfulness, like noticing feelings and staying on task.
The team also rated each teen’s ADHD symptoms and daily-life problems.
What they found
The ADHD group scored much lower on the whole scale. The biggest gap was acting with awareness.
Lower awareness scores lined up with more inattention and more trouble at school and home.
Mindfulness was not just low; it tracked the very problems we treat.
How this fits with other research
Qian et al. (2013) showed ADHD teens mature late on shifting and stopping. T et al. now add acting with awareness to that delay list.
Vos et al. (2013) found ADHD kids are slow to hit the brakes. T et al. link the same brake problem to everyday zoning-out.
Lee et al. (2016) meta-analysis proved ADHD slashes quality of life. T et al. show low mindfulness may be one reason why.
Gau et al. (2013) saw colder parenting in ADHD homes. T et al. stay at the teen level and point to an inner skill gap, not just family style.
Why it matters
You now have a quick trait score that flags which ADHD clients zone out most. Pair it with stop-signal data and you can pick targets: practice noticing the present moment before you practice stopping. Start small: have the teen name one sight, one sound, one feeling during a pause. This tiny move builds the awareness muscle the study says they lack.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Open session with a 30-second notice-three-things drill to boost present-moment awareness.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are proposed to cultivate trait mindfulness through mindfulness practice, which may in turn to lead improved clinical outcomes. Individuals who report lower levels of this trait may be promising candidates for MBIs because they present with the opportunity for growth in this area. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been associated with low trait mindfulness, though facets of trait mindfulness and ADHD features beyond core symptoms have not been examined among youth with the disorder. The goal of this study was to examine trait mindfulness-including facets of trait mindfulness-in adolescents with and without ADHD in relation to ADHD symptoms and related ADHD characteristics. METHODS: Adolescents (29 ADHD, 30 non-ADHD) and their caregivers completed measures of ADHD symptoms and related characteristics. Adolescents completed a trait mindfulness measure. RESULTS: The ADHD group scored significantly lower than the non-ADHD group in trait mindfulness. ADHD symptoms and multiple related characteristics were also inversely associated with trait mindfulness. A series of regressions controlling for sex and age indicated that trait mindfulness-particularly acting with awareness-is inversely associated with ADHD symptoms, cognitive disengagement syndrome symptoms, executive functioning, and sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Trait mindfulness, particularly acting with awareness, is lower among adolescents with ADHD and is inversely associated with ADHD and related characteristics. Because mindfulness is thought to be particularly therapeutic for those low in trait mindfulness, findings indicate the need to develop MBIs for adolescents with ADHD.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1111/ppc.12290