Characterizing Creative Thinking and Creative Achievements in Relation to Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Stolte, Marije; Trinidade-Pons, Victoria; Vlaming, Priscilla; Jakobi, Babette; Kroesbergen, Evelyn; Baas, Matthijs; Hoogman, Martine
(2022) Frontiers in Psychiatry, volume 13, pp. 1 - 15
(Article)
Abstract
Previous research on ADHD and ASD has mainly focused on the deficits associated with these conditions, but there is also evidence for strengths. Unfortunately, our understanding of potential strengths in neurodevelopmental conditions is limited. One particular strength, creativity, has been associated with both ADHD and ASD. However, the distinct presentations
... read more
of both conditions beg the question whether ADHD and ASD associate with the same or different aspects of creativity. Therefore, the current study investigated the links between ADHD and ASD symptoms, creative thinking abilities, and creative achievements. To investigate the spectrum of ADHD and ASD symptoms, self-reported ADHD and ASD symptoms, convergent (Remote Associations Test) and divergent thinking (Alternative Uses Task) and creative achievements (Creative Achievement Questionnaire) were assessed in a self-reportedly healthy sample of adults (n = 470). We performed correlation analysis to investigate the relation between ADHD/ASD symptoms and creativity measures. In a second phase of analysis, data from an adult ADHD case-control study (n = 151) were added to investigate the association between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking in individuals with and without a diagnosis of ADHD. Our analysis revealed that having more ADHD symptoms in the general population was associated with higher scores on all the outcome measures for divergent thinking (fluency, flexibility, and originality), but not for convergent thinking. Individuals with an ADHD diagnosis in the case-control sample also scored higher on measures of divergent thinking. Combining data of the population based and case-control studies showed that ADHD symptoms predict divergent thinking up to a certain level of symptoms. No significant associations were found between the total number of ASD symptoms and any of the creativity measures. However, explorative analyses showed interesting links between the ASD subdomains of problems with imagination and symptoms that relate to social difficulties. Our findings showed a link between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking abilities that plateaus in the clinical spectrum of symptoms. For ASD symptoms, no relation was found with creativity measures. Increasing the knowledge about positive phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental conditions and their symptom dimensions might aid psychoeducation, decrease stigmatization and improve quality of life of individuals living with such conditions.
show less
Download/Full Text
Keywords: creativity, ADHD, ASD, neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), divergent thinking, convergent thinking, Creative Achievement Questionnaire (CAQ)
ISSN: 1664-0640
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Note: Funding Information: MH was supported by a personal Veni grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, grant number 91619115). BIG: This study used the BIG database, which was established in Nijmegen in 2007. This resource is now part of Cognomics, a joint initiative by researchers of the Donders Centre of Cognitive Neuroimaging, the Human Genetics and Cognitive Neuroscience Departments of the Radboud University Medical Centre, and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. The Cognomics Initiative was supported by the participating departments and centres and by external grants, including grants from the Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (Netherlands) (BBMRI-NL) and the Hersenstichting Nederland. In particular, the authors would also like to acknowledge grants supporting their work from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), i.e. the NWO Brain & Cognition Excellence Program (grant 433-09- 229) and the Vici Innovation Program (grant 016–130-669 to BF). Additional support is received from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007 – 2013) under grant agreements n° 602805 (Aggressotype), n° 603016 (MATRICS), n° 602450 (IMAGEMEND), and n° 278948 (TACTICS), and from the European Community's Horizon 2020 Programme (H2020/2014 – 2020) under grant agreements n° 643051 (MiND) and n° 667302 (CoCA). IMpACT: We acknowledge funding from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the Vici Innovation Program (grant 016–130-669 to BF). The work was also supported by grant U54 EB020403 to the ENIGMA Consortium from the BD2K Initiative, a cross-NIH partnership, and by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Network “ADHD Across the Lifespan.” Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Stolte, Trindade-Pons, Vlaming, Jakobi, Franke, Kroesbergen, Baas and Hoogman.
(Peer reviewed)